Settling for Worthless Substitutes - Love Worth Finding - July 13
July 13, 2025 – Settling for Worthless Substitutes
Judges 9:10-15
Sermon: 1805 Thorns in a Nation’s Side
Pray Over This
“Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us!’ But the fig tree said to them, ‘Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over trees?’ Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us!’ But the vine said to them, ‘Should I cease my new wine, which cheers both God and men, and go to sway over trees?’ Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us!’ And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me as king over you, then come and take shelter in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon!’”
Judges 9:10-15
Ponder This
The prophet Jotham lifted his voice and said, “You need to listen to God’s Word if you want God to listen to your words.” The one that turns away his ear from the hearing of the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination. Then he gave this parable about trees that said, “We need a king.” They went to the olive tree and asked, “Will you reign over us?” And the olive tree said, “No, I can’t reign over you, I’m too busy.” So, they went to the fig tree and asked, “Will you rule over us?” The fig tree said, “I can’t do that. I’m too busy producing sweet figs.” Each tree had its reason, each so busy doing good things. So, the trees went to the bramble and asked, “Will you rule over us?” He said, “I’ll be glad to. You can rest in my shade, and I’ll be a shadow for you.” Can you imagine a bramble being a shade tree? The bramble has no fruit. The bramble has no shade.
This prophet gave the people this straightforward message to reveal what they were missing. He reminded them of the ways they had made compromises instead of coming to God and living in His provision. It seems silly at first glance, but this is easy to do. We look for our own way, and it never amounts to anything valuable.
- What are some things you have turned to instead of God? What happened?
- What makes us want to turn to other things instead of God? What are the benefits that come when we depend on God?
Practice This
Share with another Christian the things you are tempted to turn to instead of God. Ask your friend to pray for you.
For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org.
You can also listen to Adrian Rogers at OnePlace.com.
