Disqualified: Shamgar

Sometimes, the book of Judges makes me wince. The accounts of rotten human behavior make me wonder, “How did this make it into the Bible??” And, like a piece of rotting fruit, the stories keep getting worse and worse all the way up to to the book’s final verse: “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (21:25).

The problem here is too much independence–no one is listening to God!

Now, you may be wondering why we’d choose to read such a challenging book during our fun, family-style gatherings in July. The answer is that the darkness of rebellion causes the hope of God’s mercy and grace to appear brighter than ever. Against all human expectations, God continually brings revival through the most unexpected leaders. Most of these leaders, called “judges,” should have been disqualified from leadership for one reason or another and yet… God’s grace shines through.

This week, we’ll look at one of these judges whose story is incredibly short but incredibly important for us all.

Podcast

Podcast: Download (Duration: 40:04 — 55.0MB)

Subscribe: Email | RSS

Downloads

SEE IT // BE IT

(Weekly Community Group Discussion Guide)

Date: July 3, 2016 // Title: Disqualified: Shamgar

Scripture: Judges 1:1-2:23; 3:31

ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes
Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out.

SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes
This week we started our journey through the book of Judges—Family Camp Style. In this incredible book we will come across all kinds of unlikely heroes (many that could have felt disqualified), who God used to restore His people back to His intended purpose for their lives. While the people of Israel continue to spiral out of control into a life of chaos, God refused to give up on His people and raised up Judges to lead them. Unfortunately, as the book moves forward these judges drift from culture makers to culture mirrors—gradually reflecting the declining nature of Israel. Yet, in God’s grace, several of these unlikely heroes also demonstrate that God can use even the most improbable of people to do His extraordinary work in the world. This week Shamgar shows us just how God can use a person of unlikely name and heritage to lead His people. As Shamgar used what God placed in his hand, this common man demonstrates just how God can use us to do the extraordinary and uncommon with our lives.

THE MAIN THOUGHT Keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion.
Be a culture maker—not a culture mirror.

CHANGE

5 questions to help us GROW or SEE IT
1. What or who did Jon say was the sound effect, spiral and Savior of Judges?
*make the sound effect and talk through the spiral of Judges (reject God→rotten life→repent→restore→REST) and how Judges points to God as the Savior.
2. What is the difference between being a culture mirror and a culture maker?
*discuss together how leaders can be either people who reflect our culture like a mirror or people who try to shift our culture like a maker.
3. Why is Shamgar an unlikely hero (culture maker) to bring God’s people back to God?
*discuss Shamgar’s name and heritage (He is a Canaanite and he is named after a Canaanite goddess of war).
4. How does Shamgar use what he found in his hand to lead and deliver Israel?
*discuss how Shamgar uses an oxgoad—which was an ordinary tool
5. How can you use what God has put in your hand to be a leader who is a culture maker?
*discuss the opportunity each of us has to live an extraordinary life in all our ordinary places.

CHALLENGE
3 exercises to help us GO or BE IT (choose at least 1)
UP (Our relationship with God): Hero Stories
Take some time for each person of your family to tell a few stories of ordinary people who have dared to live the extraordinary life that God has called them to. Share how their stories inspire you to live your own extraordinary life.

IN (Our relationships with each other): Hero Names
Encourage every person in your family to come up with his or her Super Hero name. It may be a name of a Super Hero you know like Superman or Spider Man or it may be a name you make up. The only catch is that you have to say why this is your Super Hero name and talk about what God has placed in your hand to become this kind of heroic leader. Check out Free (or nearly free) Family Fun http://go.gfc.tv/1tirSTd

OUT (Our relationship with the world): Hero
In the Bible, the Bible heroes are not extraordinary people. They are ordinary people who live extraordinary lives. List, as a family, three heroic acts that you could attempt this week in your ordinary life. These heroic acts can be big or small things—from helping someone clean up a mess to standing up for someone at the pool or work place. Choose three acts as a family and share how these heroic acts turn out throughout the week.

CLOSING PRAYER 5 minutes
Take a few minutes to gather any prayer requests and pray for each other to SEE IT and BE IT this week.