Bring Back the Glory

Sermon OverviewScripture Reference: Judges 1:1-2The Book of Judges tells the story of how God blessed the nation of Israel, and how Israel then lost her glory. But, despite its darkness, this book holds out hope that God will bless the nation again.Judges 1 offers three takeaways, that we might bring back the glory of our own nation.“Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, ‘Who shall be first to go up for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?’ And the Lord said, ‘Judah shall go up. Indeed I have delivered the land into his hand’” (Judges 1:1-2).First, there was a glorious conquest.God gave the land to Israel; He gave the people a spiritual heritage. Though their histories diverge, there are striking parallels between Israel and America. God blessed America from the beginning; it is a country with a faith heritage and history.Yet, like Israel, there were days of gradual compromise.God gave Israel victory, but the next generation forgot it. God told the Israelites to drive the wicked Canaanites out of the land. They did not do it, because of their fear, favor, and eventual fellowship with their former enemies.We are facing a similar disheartening truth, that we have forgotten what God has done in our country. Long gone are the days of moral absolutes—rather, we live in a day of moral ambivalence. Whether it be because of fear, favor, or fellowship, we’ve kept destructive sins around, and allowed them to influence us.Adrian Rogers says, “Sin will take you further than you want to go, it’ll take you longer than you want to stay, and it will cost you more than you want to pay.”Finally, there were grim consequences.Judges 2:3-4 tells us that God gave them over to their sin. He didn’t have to judge them—He simply let them have their own way; they lost His protection. Likewise, the sins of our nation have cost America her protection.But God would rather forgive than judge. He would rather save than condemn. There is hope for America. The God who took care of Israel so long ago can do the same for America today.Apply it to your lifePray for revival in America, that through repentance and obedience, we would bring back the glory of a nation that serves God. Have faith in Him today.