“Doing Good God's Way: Obedience with the Right Heart”
SERMON Title: Doing Good God's Way: Obedience with the Right Heart
SCRIPTURE: Judges 6:17-27 ESV
Introduction
So Gideon has an encounter with the angel of the Lord.
V.12 - 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him...
But what’s interesting is that his conversation was with the Lord himself.
- v.14 - And the Lord turned to him and said…
- v.16 - 16 And the Lord said to him
So by this time, Gideon knew in his heart who he was dealing with. He may have questioned God and doubted his calling at first, but now, he knows deep in his heart that it is indeed God who is calling him to step up.
How do we know that Gideon knew deep in his heart? Because in our text today, we see him bringing an offering. And just look at what he offers in Judges 6:19 - 19 So Gideon went into his house and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the terebinth and presented them.
I mentioned last week that Gideon, along with the rest of the nation, was living in extreme poverty because the Midianites had been pillaging their crops and livestock. Whatever they could harvest, the enemy would take. And so food was scarce. And yet, here we see Gideon bringing an extravagant offering.
Now, just to put it into perspective:
An ephah of flour is about 90 cups—which is a massive amount.
For those familiar with baking, that’s enough to make 25 ten-inch cakes or 90 loaves of bread!
On top of that, he sacrifices a young goat, which is a precious resource in those times.
And he prepares a pot of broth from the meat, which required time and effort.
So what is this telling us? It’s telling us that Gideon wouldn’t have made such an enormous sacrifice unless he was convinced in his heart that he was standing before God Himself.
Gideon’s Reluctance
Even though Gideon knew it was God calling him, he was hesitant to step up and take action. He was deeply aware of God’s call, yet he found himself reluctant, unsure, and afraid to take the first step. At first glance, his offering seemed sincere, especially given the poverty he was in. But on closer reflection, we see it was more about his hesitation, fear, and avoidance of the calling.
He Asks God to Wait
In Judges 6:18, Gideon says, “Please do not depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present.” While it sounds respectful, it’s also a clear sign of hesitation. The act of butchering a goat, making bread, and preparing the offering would have taken hours—more than just preparing a gift—it was Gideon buying time. The delay gave him space to wrestle with doubts, fears, confusion, and uncertainty about the calling he had just received. He was stalling, trying to avoid the inevitable step of faith.
Application:
Like Gideon, many of us hesitate when God calls us. We delay, telling God we need more time to get ready or wait until the circumstances are more convenient. This is often not about seeking confirmation, but avoiding obedience. Proverbs 3:5-6 teaches, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding... In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” If we already know God’s will, but delay out of fear or insecurity, we are not discerning His will, but delaying our obedience. The challenge is not about asking God to make things clearer—it’s about acting on what we already know.
He Offers What He Thinks is Right
The offering Gideon gave—goat, bread, and broth—while extravagant, was not what God had specifically commanded. Under Levitical law, there were clear instructions on what offerings were acceptable. However, instead of following God’s commands, Gideon chose what he thought was appropriate, but it fell short of what was required for proper worship. In Judges 6:25-26, God tells Gideon to tear down his father's altar to Baal and build a new altar to Him, offering the second bull from his father’s herd—one that had not been involved in idolatrous worship. This was a call for a deeper realignment of worship, rejecting idolatry and returning to the worship of Yahweh.
Application:
Like Gideon, we can sometimes offer what we think God will accept—our success, our wealth, or our service—but not what He actually desires. God doesn’t need our material offerings if our hearts are not fully surrendered. In 1 Samuel 15:22, Samuel reminds Saul, “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” God desires our obedience and wholehearted devotion more than anything we can offer Him on our own terms. Our hearts need to be aligned with His will.
The Deeper Reason for Hesitation
The reason we often hesitate or delay is that we focus too much on our fears and inadequacies instead of God’s power and faithfulness. Like Gideon, we focus on the size of the task ahead rather than the strength of the One who calls us. When we do this, we find ourselves bargaining with God, hesitating to take the leap of faith He is asking us to take. But the good news is that God is patient and merciful. Even in our hesitation, He doesn’t reject us. Despite Gideon’s imperfect offering, God showed His presence by consuming the offering with fire (Judges 6:21), reminding him that even when we fall short, He is faithful and gracious. His presence remains with us, even in our uncertainty.
God’s Grace in Hesitation
Gideon was so overwhelmed by seeing the miracle that he feared for his life, thinking he might die after seeing the angel of the Lord face to face (Judges 6:22-24). But even in his fear, God assured him: “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.” His reassurance didn’t end there. He had witnessed a divine miracle, yet his trust in God was still shaky, and his obedience was still marred by fear. Despite the profound experience, Gideon’s confidence in God’s faithfulness was still a work in progress.
Obedience with the Wrong Motive
In Judges 6:25-26, God commands Gideon to tear down his father’s altar to Baal, and he obeys. At first glance, this might seem like a moment of bold faith, but in reality, he acted out of fear. Instead of obeying confidently in broad daylight, he did it secretly, by night (Judges 6:27). Fear still controlled him, even after witnessing the miracle of God’s presence. His obedience was tainted by the fear of how others would react, not by a bold trust in God’s protection and calling.
Application:
Many of us struggle with this same fear. We claim to follow Christ, yet we often act just like everyone else, hesitant to let our faith shape our decisions and actions. Whether it’s in school, work, or even within our families, we’re afraid of standing out for Christ, worried about being labeled “too religious.” We laugh at inappropriate jokes, avoid conversations about our faith, and hesitate to take a stand for biblical truth. Like Gideon, we fear what others might think more than trusting in the God who calls us. But Jesus calls us to live boldly, as Matthew 5:14-16 says: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden... let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Faith that hides in fear isn’t the kind of faith God desires. He calls us to live out our faith publicly, to shine our light for the world to see.
Conclusion
Doing good things for God is not enough. What truly matters is doing them with the right heart, the right motivation, and in obedience to His will. The reality, however, is that none of us can do this perfectly. That’s why we need grace. Looking at Gideon’s life, we see that even though he did some good things, his motives were often mixed:
He gave an offering, but it wasn’t the one God required.
He obeyed by tearing down the altar to Baal, but he did it out of fear.
We all fall short of perfectly aligning our actions with God’s will, but that’s why we need the gospel. It’s not about our perfect actions or pure motives; it’s about God’s grace, which meets us in our imperfections. Jesus came to show us what pure obedience looks like, and He lived the perfect life we could never live. He died for our sins—including our wrong motives—and through His resurrection, we are given new life.
This means we are saved by grace, not by how well we perform. Jesus lived the perfect life for us, and because of His grace, we are fully forgiven, fully accepted, and fully loved. His grace allows us to serve God joyfully, not out of fear or obligation, but because we’ve experienced His love. Even when we stumble—and we will—God’s grace is enough. He will never reject us for our failures; instead, He gently calls us back to Himself, shaping us and refining us. As God didn’t give up on Gideon, He won’t give up on us. His grace, patience, and faithfulness will see us through. So, rest in this truth: You don’t have to get everything right. Jesus is enough, and as we keep our eyes on Him, He will continue His good work in us, making us more like Him.
Reflection and response
As we close today’s message, let’s take a moment to reflect on what God may be speaking to us. This is a time for personal introspection, where we ask the Holy Spirit to reveal how we can respond to His Word.
Let’s ask ourselves-
Are we delaying obedience because of fear? How often do we hesitate, stall, or find ways to delay even when we know what God is calling us to do? God is patient with our fears, but He still expects obedience. Are we waiting because we need more clarity, or are we using that as an excuse to avoid stepping out in faith? Faith doesn’t mean the absence of fear—it means trusting God enough to obey even when we’re afraid.
Are we offering God what He truly desires, or just what we think is enough? Like Gideon, we might be bringing God what seems right to us, but is it what He has asked for? So What are we holding back from God?
Are we serving God with the right motives? Sometimes, we serve out of obligation or pride rather than love for Him. So Are we serving God for His glory or for our own reputation and self-righteousness?
How does the gospel meet you today? In Christ, we are loved and accepted, not because of our works, but because of His finished work.