1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:04,440 Days for his glory. We're going to read from God's 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:10,520 Word and we've got a very short reading tonight we're turning to 3 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:16,760 Judges chapter 3, Judges chapter 3. 4 00:00:23,370 --> 00:00:27,770 And as you're turning to the place, I just want to point out 5 00:00:27,770 --> 00:00:33,160 that sometimes folks have the imagination that ministers just 6 00:00:33,160 --> 00:00:36,720 open their Bible on a Saturday night, hopefully not at 7 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:40,400 midnight, and out pops a sermon. Well, I'm afraid it doesn't work 8 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:41,920 like that. So if you think that, well, 9 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,720 sorry, you're wrong, OK? But what what we do is we, we 10 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,120 pray Sunday night, Monday morning, Tuesday morning, we 11 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,400 wait before the Lord. And last Sunday evening, I asked 12 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:58,160 the Lord to impress upon my heart text of scripture or a 13 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,160 character. And I, I, I woke up on Monday 14 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:04,000 morning and there was, there was one name in my head. 15 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:11,040 And I thought, wow, I'll have to look up this name here. 16 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,520 And I did the Bible app and looked up the name and found a 17 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:18,200 couple of places where it was and started to read it. 18 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:20,920 And the more I thought about it, the more I thought, right, 19 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:27,040 that's Sunday night's sermon at least as the Lord had given me a 20 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:31,960 text and given me mention of an individual. 21 00:01:31,960 --> 00:01:33,640 So that's what we're going to think about tonight. 22 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:36,360 We're turning to Judges chapter 3. 23 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:39,720 We're just going to read 2 verses now, 3 verses. 24 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:44,400 And I trust and pray the Lord will bless us together. 25 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,760 Judges chapter 3, verse 31. Let's hear the Word of God, 26 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:50,760 reading of course from the Authorised Version. 27 00:01:51,720 --> 00:02:01,200 Judges chapter 3, verse 31. And after him was Shamgar the 28 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:08,759 son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines 600 men with an ox 29 00:02:08,759 --> 00:02:12,840 gold. And he also delivered Israel. 30 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:18,400 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the 31 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:26,640 Lord when Ehud was dead. Now come over to Judges chapter 32 00:02:26,640 --> 00:02:38,760 5, and read with me in verse 6. Judges chapter 5, verse 6. 33 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:48,560 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anaph, in the days of Jael, 34 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:56,680 the highways were unoccupied and the travellers walked through 35 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:02,240 byways. Amen. 36 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:05,520 We know that the Lord will blessed us this reading of His 37 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,120 own precious and infallible word. 38 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:15,760 Now my text this evening is taken from Judges chapter 3, 39 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:19,200 verse 31. It reads as follows. 40 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:25,200 And after him was Shamgar, the son of Anath, which slew of the 41 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:29,600 Philistines, 600 men with an ox gold, and they also delivered 42 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,800 Israel. They have entitled this message 43 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:38,960 shining in the shadow of Shamgar's service. 44 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,280 Who was Shamgar? There's one simple, 45 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:48,560 straightforward answer. He was the 3rd judge in the land 46 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,280 of Israel in the days of the judges. 47 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:55,360 You see, the days of the Judges were characterised by this 48 00:03:55,360 --> 00:04:00,400 statement we read there in Judges chapter 21, verse 25. 49 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,600 In those days there was no king in Israel. 50 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,840 Every man did that which was right in his own eyes. 51 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,240 That's the key text for the book of Judges. 52 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,240 You see, the days of the Judges were characterised by this 53 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,200 cycle. There was rebellion towards God 54 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:19,600 and the things of God. The children of Israel did evil 55 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:21,600 in the sight of the Lord. They forsook Him. 56 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:27,160 They forgot His word and that rebellion led to their ruin 57 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,400 because they discovered that sin pays wages and there's 58 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:35,760 retribution and judgement. And this retribution and 59 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,640 judgement that came was in the form of God allowing their 60 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,000 enemies to conquer and control them. 61 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:45,480 And then after a period of time, there was this realisation that 62 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:50,080 sin does pay wages. Sin costs us more than we want 63 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:53,920 to pay, keeps us longer than we want to stay. 64 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,160 And then of course, what followed was a spurt of 65 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:01,720 repentance because they confessed that they'd done evil 66 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,040 in the sight of the Lord. They were truly sorry for their 67 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:09,000 sin, and that repentance brought about restoration and rest. 68 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:13,080 And God's means of restoration and rest was always by raising 69 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:15,560 up for them a deliverer and a saviour. 70 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,880 And the first deliverer was off the yell, the son of Kenaz, 71 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:23,680 Caleb's younger brother. Judges chapter 3, verse 10. 72 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:30,520 The second Saviour was a man by the name of Ehud, chapter 13, 73 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:36,720 verse 15. And then the third was a man by 74 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:40,080 the name of Shamgar. Notice these words. 75 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:47,040 And after him was Shamgar the son of Athnath. 76 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,640 Now you many have never heard of Shamgar. 77 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:53,040 Maybe that's true of you tonight. 78 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:56,640 You've heard of Othniel. You might have heard of E Hood, 79 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:01,760 who slew the king Eglon of Moab. You may have heard of Gideon and 80 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:03,520 Samson. You may have heard of Deborah. 81 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:06,680 But you've never heard of Shamgar. 82 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:14,040 Isn't it interesting that in just two verses in the Bible 83 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:21,280 this man's name is mentioned? Judges 331, Judges 5 or 6. 84 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:26,320 In the days of Shamgar. Now you see many look at Judges 85 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:30,880 331 and read about a man which slew 600 men of the Philistines 86 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:33,800 with an ox gold, and he also delivered Israel. 87 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:37,200 And they say to themselves, So what? 88 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:44,000 That's not that important, that's not a big deal that 89 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,920 that's only one verse about this man's exploits. 90 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,320 Well, I want to say tonight, despite this man not being so 91 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:57,000 well known, I believe that Shamgar stands amongst the 92 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,280 greatest judges in the land of Israel. 93 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:03,080 Now, we all love a good story, don't we? 94 00:07:03,840 --> 00:07:08,720 We all love a good story for a man or a woman from a lonely, 95 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:13,680 obscure background, little known person with maybe limited 96 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:18,960 weapons who ends up being the hero, who ends up winning the 97 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:22,400 battle of the day. And you see, Shamgar was like 98 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:24,440 that. He's the hero of the day. 99 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:32,280 Shamgar stood to defy the odds, 600 to 1, one against 606, 100 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:39,200 hundred against one, and the one defeated 600. 101 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,800 Fierce fighting man. And the one that defeated them 102 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:49,600 was a farmer with an ox coat. And the wonderful truth about 103 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:56,360 this story is that Shamdar had the most unlikely of weapons, an 104 00:07:56,360 --> 00:08:01,000 ox coat. It was a farming implement and 105 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:07,800 Shamgar with this farming implement won the day and it was 106 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:15,160 such a wonderful thing that this became part of Deborah's song we 107 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,120 read in chapter 5. Verse one then sang Deborah and 108 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:22,160 Barrack the son of Abenom on that day saying Praise ye the 109 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:26,200 Lord for the avenging of Israel when the people willingly 110 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:30,160 offered themselves and become to verse 6 it says in the days of 111 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:33,760 Shamgar the son of Anaph. In the days of Jael, the 112 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:37,720 highways were unoccupied and the travellers walked through 113 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:45,200 byways. Shamgar is mentioned, His name 114 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:48,640 is known in the earth because it's mentioned twice in the Holy 115 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:52,080 Scriptures. And in the mouth of two or three 116 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:54,400 witnesses a thing shall be established. 117 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,080 But this man's name is not only known on earth. 118 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:03,960 I believe the man's name is recognised and recorded in 119 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:07,280 heaven. The Lord could say of Shamgar 120 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:12,200 tonight, this farmer with the ox gold, thy art mine. 121 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:19,000 Don't overlook the life of Shamgar little as much when God 122 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:22,200 is in it. Now three things, or 4 tonight 123 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:25,560 if we have time. First of all, think about the 124 00:09:25,560 --> 00:09:28,320 call of Shamgar. What's his story? 125 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:35,520 Shamgar was raised up by God in a day of great violence in the 126 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:40,240 land of Israel. You see, one day the Philistines 127 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:44,600 came calling at his farm. The Philistines invaded the land 128 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,440 of Israel. They came from the West Coast, 129 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:50,600 the Mediterranean Sea area, to attack the towns and villages 130 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:54,720 and farms on the land of Israel. They came to raid, they came to 131 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:58,520 plunder, they stole crops, they stole wealth that they could 132 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:02,040 find it, and they kidnapped, no doubt a few of the women folk, 133 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:06,480 boys and girls. The attack by these raiding 134 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:10,480 parties had been going on for some time, and these raiding 135 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:14,400 parties caused a lot of fear and concern among the people of God. 136 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:20,160 Remember, from this territory came Goliath of Gath. 137 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,080 Gath is actually one of the five cities in the land of the 138 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:28,360 Philistines, now the modern day territory of Gaza. 139 00:10:29,560 --> 00:10:33,320 Do you know that it caused so much fear and alarm that the 140 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:38,080 people didn't want to walk the main roads or the main highways, 141 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:42,120 especially alone? They didn't walk as individuals. 142 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:44,840 They walked in groups. And when they walked, they 143 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,600 walked through the crooked paths or the byways. 144 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,200 Look at chapter 5, verse 6 again. 145 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:52,760 It says the highways were unoccupied. 146 00:10:53,560 --> 00:10:55,520 Unoccupied means there was nobody there. 147 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,440 You could drive down the road and we're going to knock anybody 148 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:01,440 down. And it says in the travellers, 149 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:07,280 that's the people who have to make journeys, walk through not 150 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:11,760 the highways, not the roadways, but the byways. 151 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:18,920 And the byways means the crooked paths, the little path that was 152 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:24,000 known primarily just to the villagers and the townsfolk of 153 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:29,760 that day. These folks couldn't walk there 154 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:34,440 because of the enemy's attack, because of the enemy's 155 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:38,840 entrapment, because the enemy might beat them up, do them to 156 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:43,680 death or kidnap them. You know, during the Troubles, 157 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:47,840 especially in South Armagh, there was places that the 158 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:50,600 members of the Royal Constabulary, members of the 159 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:55,400 British Army and the Royal Irish Regiment were not allowed to 160 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:56,240 travel. On. 161 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:02,560 Other places in and around the border, like Castle Dirk was the 162 00:12:02,560 --> 00:12:06,720 same thing. Could you think of this impact? 163 00:12:08,560 --> 00:12:11,840 According to Judges 5 and 6, the inhabitants of the land of 164 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:16,000 Israel were so afraid that it impacted ordinary people going 165 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:20,400 about their business. That's the day in which Shamgar 166 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:25,240 lived. He was called to make a stand in 167 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:28,600 a day of great violence in his land. 168 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:32,640 He he was called also in a day of great apostasy. 169 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:36,680 In Judges chapter 5 verse 8, we read these words. 170 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:43,520 They chose new gods. Then was war in the gates. 171 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,800 It's interesting. This was a day of religious 172 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:52,680 downgrade. This was a day of servitude and 173 00:12:52,680 --> 00:12:56,800 bondage. In fact, in chapter 5 verse 8 we 174 00:12:56,800 --> 00:13:02,760 read was there a shield or spear seen among 40,000 in Israel? 175 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:09,760 There was no shield, no sword, no spear seen among 40,000 in 176 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:15,600 Israel over there in First Samuel chapter 13 verse 19. 177 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:19,880 We read these words in First Samuel 13 and 19. 178 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,960 Now there was no Smith throughout all the land of 179 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:26,080 Israel, for the Philistine said, lest the Hebrews make them 180 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:30,200 swords or Spears. No blacksmith, you know, to 181 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:33,360 sharpen their axe, they had to go and ask the Philistines 182 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:36,240 permission to sharpen the side. They had to take it to the 183 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:39,880 blacksmith in the land and territory of the Philistines and 184 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:43,120 get them to do it. Know about paying a price. 185 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:47,640 So here's Shamdar and he sees the enemy coming, and the 186 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:51,240 majority are fearful and the majority are hiding and the 187 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:55,040 majority have run. And Shamgar adopts the attitude. 188 00:13:55,240 --> 00:14:00,200 This is my farm, this is my family, this is my father. 189 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:03,360 I've got to protect my wife and children. 190 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:06,920 I've got to protect my cattle. They're not picking mine. 191 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:12,600 And Shamgar has got this call of God in his heart and mind to 192 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,600 make a stand. Then let me tell you something 193 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:17,960 very quickly. Shambar was not only called to 194 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:21,120 take a stand in a day of violence and a day of apostasy 195 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:24,840 and religious declension, but Shambar was called to salvation. 196 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:30,680 Well, what is Shamgar called? Shamgar the son of Anath. 197 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:36,280 Now that's mentioned twice. Look again at verse 6. 198 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:39,200 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath. 199 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:44,800 I want you to underline that Shamgar was not an Israelite. 200 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:52,760 Shamdar was the son of Anath. Anath is his father's name. 201 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:58,560 It's not an insight into his background and into his lineage. 202 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:04,080 You see, Anath had a particular association with a Canaanite 203 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:08,040 deity. There was a Canaanite deity, a 204 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,800 prominent goddess often associated with love and war, 205 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:16,680 who was called Anath. And I'm asking the question when 206 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:22,040 his father was born, did his grandparents give the father 207 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:23,960 this name? Anath? 208 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:32,280 Was his father a follower of the false heathen goddess called 209 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,720 Anath? And he raised a son called 210 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:39,120 Shamdar, who was known as Shamdar, the son of Anath. 211 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:44,720 And what does that mean? It means there was a time in 212 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:49,760 God's Providence when Shamgar rejected idolatrous religion, 213 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:54,720 rejected a false God, and Shambar came to know and love 214 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:59,120 the true God of Israel. That means he professed faith in 215 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,520 Jehovah. There was a time in his life 216 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:05,200 when he was converted, when he left behind the life of 217 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:10,480 idolatry, following a Pagan Canaanite God to live a life 218 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:14,320 where he's in a full and free and forever relationship with 219 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:17,760 the God of heaven. See, I believe that Shamdar was 220 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:20,320 a converted man. He was not When he called to 221 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:24,560 stand, he was called to salvation. 222 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:26,960 I'll tell you something else about his call. 223 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:31,840 He was called to service. Shamdar had a concern for the 224 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:35,040 land. The Philistines came into his 225 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:39,840 land to take it, to kill, to plunder, and to steal, and he 226 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:44,520 stood to defend it. He stood to render an honorary, 227 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:49,080 an honorary service unto God. Notice the words in verse 31. 228 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:57,080 And he also delivered Israel. I believe he served the Lord out 229 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:01,840 of a sense of love and concern for the Lord and for his land. 230 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:06,000 So I want to ask the question, where are the Shamgars today? 231 00:17:07,319 --> 00:17:09,319 Sham Garza told you, was a farmer. 232 00:17:09,839 --> 00:17:12,839 He was not a soldier, he was not experienced in military 233 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:17,359 conflict, he was not a military strategist. 234 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:23,599 Yet this farmer stood to fight, stood to defend his family and 235 00:17:23,599 --> 00:17:27,720 the honour of his God and his farmland. 236 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:33,360 And I want to say we need men and women today who are called 237 00:17:33,360 --> 00:17:38,360 to make a stand. They're called to be saved, and 238 00:17:38,360 --> 00:17:42,840 they're called to serve God in the days in which we live. 239 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:46,360 See, we live in a day when liberal theology has destroyed 240 00:17:46,360 --> 00:17:49,640 churches. You know that liberal theology, 241 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:53,640 especially after World War 2, changed the face of Christianity 242 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:55,840 in Europe. It probably started after World 243 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:58,600 War One as well. It impacted upon the United 244 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:01,320 Kingdom. It impacted upon our United 245 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:05,680 States of America. See, Liberal theology denies any 246 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:11,320 supernatural communication in Bible belief in Christianity. 247 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,760 Liberal theologians denied the doctrine of the Incarnation, the 248 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:17,480 eternal sonship of Christ. They denied the virgin birth. 249 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:21,480 They denied his sinless life, his atoning death, his bodily 250 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:23,920 resurrection, his ascension, and his second coming. 251 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:28,000 And theologians? Men like Karl Barth, men like 252 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:32,600 William Barkley, they caused a great crisis in the church. 253 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:37,640 You see, in the 30s, right through to the 60s and 70s, 254 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:43,280 there was thousands of ordained ministers and millions of pounds 255 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:45,960 have been spent in church buildings, et cetera, and 256 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:48,560 congregations were being ministered to. 257 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,960 And what were they going to do with these thousands of ordained 258 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,280 ministers and all of these churches that were being 259 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:57,280 occupied by congregations? Now they're being told it's all 260 00:18:57,280 --> 00:19:00,640 a myth, it's all a lie. What you've been preaching and 261 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:03,960 teaching for years is not true. What were they going to do? 262 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:09,320 Thousands of men just to be thrown onto the rack of 263 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:13,240 unemployment, ordered thousands of churches to be closed? 264 00:19:14,120 --> 00:19:15,400 See, they had to make a decision. 265 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:20,600 They didn't do that. They did a far worse thing. 266 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:24,040 This is what they come up with. This was their theory of liberal 267 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:29,200 theology. Revise your understanding of 268 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,040 what Bible believe in Christianity is. 269 00:19:31,360 --> 00:19:35,680 Make it compatible to the modern theories of men. 270 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:41,200 You see, the church today has abandoned supernatural belief in 271 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:45,600 the Bible, supernatural belief in God, supernatural belief in 272 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,400 the person and work of Jesus Christ, supernatural belief in 273 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:55,080 the doctrine of salvation. And they've replaced the gospel 274 00:19:55,080 --> 00:20:00,960 with other things, worldly concerns, social issues, 275 00:20:02,120 --> 00:20:08,760 environmental concerns about the planet, humanitarian concerns, 276 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:12,200 war and famine. Now, there's nothing wrong with 277 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:15,080 a social aspect or an environmental aspect or an 278 00:20:15,120 --> 00:20:20,800 monetarian aspect to the work of God, but they have abandoned and 279 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:25,640 forgotten the Gospel. And many ministers and churches 280 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:29,640 tonight have no idea what the good news is, and they don't 281 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:33,040 know John 3 and 16. For God so loved the world that 282 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,920 he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him 283 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:38,600 should not perish, but have everlasting life. 284 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:43,600 It's foreign language to them because once they hear it and 285 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:47,800 accept that's the word of God, then they're confronted with the 286 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:52,520 person and work of Christ. We live in a day when we're 287 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:59,360 under another threat, cancer or cancelled culture. 288 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:04,680 We live in a day of post modernism when people are told 289 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:09,880 truth is unattainable. There is no absolute truth or 290 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:13,200 authority. There is no God, there's no 291 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:17,000 heaven, no hell, there's no judgement to come. 292 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:19,480 There's no standard of right or wrong. 293 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:23,720 There's no standard of truth or righteousness or holiness there 294 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,520 there, there's no meaning or purpose to life. 295 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:29,800 And you know, it's all a lie. Let me illustrate. 296 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:33,720 Whenever the book The Da Vinci Code was brought out, do you 297 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:37,400 know there's 43,000,000 copies sold worldwide? 298 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:42,640 That book promotes the false idea that Christian history is 299 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:50,800 all made-up, the Bible is man made and erroneous, didn't come 300 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:56,760 from God, that Jesus is merely a man and the church embellished 301 00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:03,360 as a God, that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, Jesus and Mary 302 00:22:03,360 --> 00:22:08,320 Magdalene had a child and it was covered up by the church and 303 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:12,080 it's all a lie. And yet that's what the heart of 304 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:14,760 the message of The Da Vinci Code is. 305 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:19,360 It also promotes intimate relationship without boundaries. 306 00:22:19,360 --> 00:22:23,200 So it's promoting not only idolatry, but it's promoting 307 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:27,680 immorality. And that council or cancer 308 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:32,160 culture is on a collision course with Bible belief in 309 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:34,480 Christianity. It's in conflict. 310 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:44,520 We must make a stand today. We must adopt the mindset of 311 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:48,960 Shamdar. Shamdar was called the stand for 312 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:55,600 God in a day when his land was suffering violence, in a day of 313 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,880 religious apostasy. And he stood for God because he 314 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:01,960 was a converted man who had a concern for truth and 315 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,720 righteousness, a concern for the honour of God. 316 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,720 We need men like Shamdar. Today I asked this question. 317 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:12,800 There was a letter in the newsletter, can't remember who 318 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:16,960 wrote it, asking where are the church leaders today? 319 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:20,000 And I'm asking where are the Shamdars? 320 00:23:20,360 --> 00:23:22,160 The church is looking for leaders. 321 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:24,880 Christian homes are looking for leaders. 322 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:32,120 Leaders are called to stand, called to salvation, called to 323 00:23:32,120 --> 00:23:36,040 service. So I'm asking fathers, mothers, 324 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:40,280 young people, it's that three of you, we need men of faith in God 325 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:44,120 who do not conform to the culture, may understand, 326 00:23:44,120 --> 00:23:48,040 blameless and faultless, with an eye to God, men who will serve 327 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:50,960 to work with God. Folks, things are getting no 328 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:53,480 better. Things are maybe slightly 329 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:55,160 getting worse. Churches are closing. 330 00:23:57,360 --> 00:24:00,120 Churches have closed. People are not attending. 331 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:05,120 Many are fearful. We need to stand. 332 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:10,040 We need to be a witness. Whether it's in business, 333 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:13,120 whether it's in the home, whether it's in school, whether 334 00:24:13,120 --> 00:24:16,520 it's in the university. We're called to stand. 335 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:19,720 We're called to salvation, we're called to service. 336 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:23,880 Very quickly, I want you to think of the courage of Shamgar. 337 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:28,040 Let's ask this question. What weapon did he have? 338 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:31,720 Did he have a sword, shield or spear? 339 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:37,400 No, all they had according to the Bible was a Knox goat. 340 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:41,360 Now what's a Knox goat? An ox goat is a long pole. 341 00:24:41,360 --> 00:24:44,040 And at the one the end, it's got a sharpened point. 342 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:48,200 It might have had a little metal prod on it and that would have 343 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:51,000 been used to poke the ox. So when the ox was moving 344 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:55,720 slowly, it got a jab in the rear end and it was made to move on. 345 00:24:56,360 --> 00:24:59,240 It's it's a bit like a cattle prod for today. 346 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:07,240 And at the other end of this ox goat there was a, a tiny shaped 347 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:09,720 almost like a like a like a little spade. 348 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:14,280 And it could be made of wood, it could have been made of metal. 349 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:17,520 And you see it was used wherever the plough got stuck. 350 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:20,840 Then it was used to scrape the mud off the plough. 351 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:27,200 And the farmer had this ox gold and he had a tool to remove all 352 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:29,760 the clay that gathered up in the plough. 353 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:35,520 That was all he had and he used it for the honour and glory of 354 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:37,800 God. He used what he had for God and 355 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:41,640 when there are no convention weapons were available, he used 356 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:44,920 the oxcoat. This man against 600 had no 357 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:49,640 prospect of military success. 600 were well armed and well 358 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:53,560 trained, fierce Philistines. What could he do? 359 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:58,120 All he had was the oxcoat and this unknown man with this 360 00:25:58,120 --> 00:26:03,160 useless, unlikely weapon. Yet this was the man that God 361 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:06,880 used to deliver Israel. See, that's how God's work is 362 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:11,880 done. It's done by holy men converted 363 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:16,040 to Christ by the grace of God. And yet men who are consecrated, 364 00:26:16,360 --> 00:26:20,800 men who use what they have for God because that's what God has 365 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:23,800 given, little as much when God is in it. 366 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:27,120 See, God was in this factory over the 600. 367 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,440 It was not in Shamdar's strength and ability. 368 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:33,880 God did it through Shamdar. He used him. 369 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:37,040 Philippians 4 and 13. I can do all the things through 370 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:40,440 Christ, which strengthens me. It's always and only through 371 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:44,440 Christ, never without him. And I would encourage you to 372 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:47,480 pray this week. Lord, use me just like you use 373 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:51,520 Shamdar. Remember the hymn in 490? 374 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:53,560 Francis O'Reilly have regales him. 375 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:58,560 Take my life and let it be consecrated. 376 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:02,280 Lord to thee. Take my moments and my days. 377 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:06,120 Let them flow and cease this praise. 378 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:09,080 The Lord would ask, What is in thy hand? 379 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:12,200 He asked Shamgar. It's an ox called Lord. 380 00:27:12,360 --> 00:27:16,200 Use it for my glory. No room for excuse. 381 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:20,080 Very quickly, I want you to think of the comparison of 382 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:23,160 Shamgar. You see Shamgar points us to the 383 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:29,320 Lord Jesus Christ Sham Garza, foreshadowing of the Lord Jesus 384 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:32,440 Christ. Sham Garza, judge and a judge 385 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:36,360 was a saviour and a deliverer. We read in the New Testament of 386 00:27:36,360 --> 00:27:38,920 the Lord Jesus. I shall call his name Jesus, for 387 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:41,240 He shall save his people from their sins. 388 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:44,320 And remember the two in the road to Emmaus, what they were taught 389 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:48,920 in Luke chapter 24. We read this in verse 44. 390 00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:52,240 These are the words which I speak unto you, while I was yet 391 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:54,560 with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written 392 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:56,840 in the law of Moses. That's the first five books of 393 00:27:56,840 --> 00:28:00,400 the Bible, and in the prophets major and minor, and in the 394 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:03,560 Psalms, that's the writings concerning me. 395 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:07,520 See what's the Bible all about? It says in the beginning of 396 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:10,160 Moses and all the prophets he expounded unto them, and all the 397 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:14,080 Scriptures, the things concerning himself. 398 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:20,240 And Shamdar was an unlikely Saviour because Shangar was a 399 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:24,360 Canaanite. His family lineage was not 400 00:28:24,360 --> 00:28:27,880 Jewish. Do you know that the Lord Jesus 401 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:29,920 Christ was legally the son of David? 402 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:34,760 Remember Nathaniel asked the question, Can anything, any good 403 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:38,880 thing come out of Nazareth? Remember, they asked the 404 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:43,360 question, is not this the son of Joseph the Carpenter? 405 00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:45,760 This couldn't be the promised Messiah. 406 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:49,880 They, they held him the ridicule and scorn and, and and derised 407 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:53,200 him. He didn't go to any of our 408 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:56,400 universities of Jerusalem. He wasn't at one of our 409 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:59,880 rabbinical colleges. How could he be the promised 410 00:28:59,880 --> 00:29:02,000 Messiah? How could he be the Saviour? 411 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:04,280 You see, they forgot his ancestors. 412 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:07,880 Do you know that when the lineage of Christ, Ruth the 413 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:12,680 Moabite S who married Boaz was part of that lineage? 414 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:17,400 Did you know that? Rahab the harlot from Jericho 415 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:23,280 was also part of that lineage, and as far as the true humanity 416 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:26,960 of Christ is concerned, he can trace his ancestry back his 417 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:30,800 family tree all the way down to Adam, and part of that family 418 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:33,520 tree, his certain Canaanites who got converted. 419 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:37,800 We would have to say he's an unlikely saviour with an 420 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:40,400 unlikely weapon. What did Shamgar use? 421 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:43,440 An ox? Gold, Christ didn't use a sword, 422 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:46,360 a shield or a spear. No, He just carried a wooden 423 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:49,640 cross. He was crucified on it. 424 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:52,200 On that tree. He fought the battle of the 425 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:56,840 aegis against sin and Satan against hail and grave and won 426 00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:01,400 the victory. 2nd Corinthians 521 For he, that is God had made 427 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:05,600 him, that is Christ to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we 428 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:08,440 might be made the righteousness of God in him. 429 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:12,080 We, we, we should think tonight of the person on the cross, the 430 00:30:12,080 --> 00:30:16,280 Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Son of Mary, Son of David, 431 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:20,720 what we should think about him as the God man, not just a good 432 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:25,560 man, a great man, a gracious man, but the God man, great as 433 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:28,800 the mystery of God and his God was manifest in the flesh. 434 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:32,440 We we should think about the power of the cross between he 435 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:36,880 triumphed over sin and hell, and the devil by his death and 436 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:39,360 bloodshedding and Calgary. Think of the preaching of the 437 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:44,440 cross, the plan of redemption by the cross, or what wonderful 438 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:47,840 encouragement there is there in the book of Hebrews and Hebrews 439 00:30:47,840 --> 00:30:51,840 9 and 26, we read these words. For then must he often have 440 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:54,720 suffered since the foundation of the world, but now once in the 441 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:57,760 end of the world, that he appeared to put away sin by the 442 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:02,520 sacrifice of himself. But this man, after he'd offered 443 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:07,600 one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of 444 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:12,640 God. By his voluntary suffering and 445 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:16,480 death, by his vicarious suffering and death on our 446 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:20,840 behalf, he became and emerged the victorious saviour. 447 00:31:21,880 --> 00:31:26,280 An unlikely saviour, an unlikely weapon, an unlikely stand. 448 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:31,200 And many were with Shamgar. Just Shamgar, nobody else. 449 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:37,920 Shamgar stood alone. He won a temporal victory. 450 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:42,560 Christ alone won an eternal victory over sin. 451 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:47,760 Hail and the devil. Philippians 121 comes to mind. 452 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:52,040 For me to live as Christ and to die is gain. 453 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:54,800 I want you to close with one final thought. 454 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:56,480 Bear with me just for a couple of minutes. 455 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:01,040 The confidence of Shamdar. Shamdar entered into this 456 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:05,880 battle, this conflict against the enemy with just his ox code. 457 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:10,920 And he emerged victorious. And I've really encouraged you. 458 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:14,600 We're called to stand, we're called to salvation, and we're 459 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:16,480 called to service. And we have to apply that 460 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:18,480 personally. We have to apply it 461 00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:22,840 congregationally. We have to apply it nationally. 462 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:27,520 We're called to stand against everything that robs us of our 463 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:31,920 identity, robs us of our heritage, robs us of our 464 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:36,200 liberty, robs us of the gospel, robs us of peace. 465 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:39,800 Let me illustrate. Could I encourage you this week 466 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:42,160 to go and sow the seed of the gospel? 467 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:48,640 You ask yourself, what can I do? I feel weak, I feel helpless. 468 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:51,160 Well, remember this little as much when God is in it. 469 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:54,880 You could visit the neighbour. You could speak to a friend on 470 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:57,520 the telephone. You could give out a little 471 00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:00,280 tract when you're right in the bus or out shopping. 472 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:05,120 You could ask someone to come with you to the House of God. 473 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:09,040 You could pray for a soul to be saved. 474 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:15,600 You can give something, a gift, even for Catamega, for his 475 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:18,280 church. Do you know you could even 476 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:19,840 smell? Let me tell you this as we 477 00:33:19,840 --> 00:33:23,400 finish. Spurgeon preached the 600 in the 478 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:26,920 Metropolitan Tabernacle. And when Spurgeon walked out of 479 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:29,880 his house where he lived in London, he walked past many 480 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:31,560 houses and the houses had children. 481 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:34,800 You know what he did? He stopped and he waved in to 482 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:37,080 the children when they were in the garden. 483 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,560 He asked them their name. He spoke kindly to them. 484 00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:46,040 John Wesley did the same. And there was this man came to 485 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:49,040 the Tabernacle one time to hear Spurgeon to preach and got 486 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:52,600 converted and someone asked him, why did you come? 487 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:57,360 And he said, because Mr Spurgeon smiles and speaks to the 488 00:33:57,360 --> 00:34:01,080 children. I thought that was tremendous. 489 00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:08,120 See, the ox gold looked useless, a weak thing, but he used it for 490 00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:13,239 God, and you can use what God has given you for him. 491 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:20,239 The ox gold controls the ox. It convicts or convinces the ox 492 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:23,520 to go forward. It conquers the ox. 493 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:28,080 Remember the Lord Jesus said to Saul of Tarsus on the road to 494 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:30,320 Damascus at noon. It's hard for thee to kick 495 00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:34,080 against the pricks. See little as much when God is 496 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:37,679 on a take take. Take what you have and use it 497 00:34:37,679 --> 00:34:40,440 for God. Don't lose your vision of 498 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:42,760 Christ. Don't lose your burden. 499 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:45,880 Use the weapon of the Word of God. 500 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:49,719 When I was down preaching and I'd finish with this at the City 501 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:53,040 Hall, I was thinking of these words from the book of Hebrews 502 00:34:53,199 --> 00:34:55,440 in Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12. 503 00:34:55,679 --> 00:34:58,560 And remember what it says. For the Word of God is quick and 504 00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:01,680 powerful and sharper than any 2 edged sword, piercing even to 505 00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:04,400 the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and 506 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:08,120 marrow, and as a discerner of the thoughts and intense of the 507 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:10,840 heart. See the Bible says thus and thus 508 00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:12,840 saith the Lord. We have a message for the 509 00:35:12,840 --> 00:35:15,480 liberal theologian. We have a message for those who 510 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:21,040 want to employ cancel culture. And the message is this. 511 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:26,720 Thus saith the Lord. And we pick up our Bible and we 512 00:35:26,720 --> 00:35:30,280 put it into our heart and into our mind and we press it home to 513 00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:33,160 our understanding and we pray for light and help. 514 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:36,040 And then we pass it on to those that will listen. 515 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:40,560 We pray, speak Lord to 1's soul. That's what I've been doing down 516 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:45,040 at City Hall, standing there to preach the word of God. 517 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:49,160 There's no room for excuse. Shamdar didn't wait. 518 00:35:50,160 --> 00:35:55,040 Better training, help arriving, more munitions, favourable 519 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:58,200 circumstances. No, he used what he had for the 520 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:02,160 Lord. And it was McShane said this. 521 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:08,440 It's not great talents the Lord uses, but great likeness to 522 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:14,320 Jesus Shamgar, a most unlikely Saviour. 523 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:21,080 And yet what a wonderful shadow that points us to the Saviour in 524 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:24,320 his service and witness. May the Lord take these few 525 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:25,920 thoughts and bless them to our heart.