C+C Tennessee Discussion Guide
Text: Matthew 17:14–20
And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Summary
It is possible to have real faith in God and still be fearful, hesitant, and deeply flawed. Gideon’s story exposes how small and inconsistent human faith can be, while highlighting that the true power always rests in God’s faithfulness, not in the strength of our believing.
In the book of Judges, Israel is trapped in a cycle: they abandon the Lord, are oppressed by enemies, cry out, and God raises up a judge to deliver them. Gideon appears in this context as a fearful man hiding in a winepress, yet he is greeted by the angel of the Lord as a “mighty man of valor” because God’s presence, not Gideon’s courage, defines his identity and calling. God begins by confronting idolatry at home, commanding Gideon to tear down Baal’s altar. Gideon obeys, but at night, revealing that his obedience is real but weak. His demand for repeated signs with the fleece further displays a heart that knows God has spoken yet struggles to trust, trying to put God in a controllable box rather than simply submitting to His word.
God nevertheless works through Gideon in a way that makes it unmistakable that the victory belongs to the Lord. Gideon rallies 32,000 men, but God deliberately reduces the army to 300 so that Israel cannot boast in its own strength. Through strange tactics with trumpets, jars, and torches, God throws the vast Midianite camp into confusion and defeats them. Gideon’s faith in this “middle act” is commendable: he listens to God, follows difficult instructions against impossible odds, and acts on what God has promised. This illustrates Jesus’ teaching that even mustard-seed faith, when placed in the living God, participates in things humanly impossible. Faith does not generate power; faith connects us to the God of all power.
Yet Gideon’s story spirals downward. Once the external enemies are routed, his anger, pride, and desire for control begin to rule. He harshly punishes fellow Israelites who refused to help, executes an unjust personal vendetta, and starts to act like a king while claiming he will not be one. He collects tribute, fashions an ephod that becomes an object of idolatry, amasses wives and concubines, and names his son “My father is king.” After his death Israel quickly turns again to idols. Despite this dark ending, Hebrews 11 still lists Gideon as an example of faith, which underlines that Scripture is commending not a flawless hero but a sinner whom God used by grace.
Gideon’s story ultimately pushes us beyond Gideon to Christ. Where Gideon is fearful, Jesus steps boldly into His mission. Where Gideon’s “warfare” against idols turns into violence against his own people, Jesus’ warfare against Satan and demons is paired with compassion for sinners. Where Gideon wields thorns to punish, Jesus wears a crown of thorns and bears punishment in our place. Gideon wrongly takes on king and priest roles for his own glory; Jesus is the true King and High Priest who lays down His life and now reigns and intercedes for His people. Our hope is not that we can become better than Gideon by trying harder, but that, united to Christ by grace through faith, we are held by the One who is always faithful, even when we are faithless.
Key Takeaways
Discussion Questions
Practical Applications
And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Summary
It is possible to have real faith in God and still be fearful, hesitant, and deeply flawed. Gideon’s story exposes how small and inconsistent human faith can be, while highlighting that the true power always rests in God’s faithfulness, not in the strength of our believing.
In the book of Judges, Israel is trapped in a cycle: they abandon the Lord, are oppressed by enemies, cry out, and God raises up a judge to deliver them. Gideon appears in this context as a fearful man hiding in a winepress, yet he is greeted by the angel of the Lord as a “mighty man of valor” because God’s presence, not Gideon’s courage, defines his identity and calling. God begins by confronting idolatry at home, commanding Gideon to tear down Baal’s altar. Gideon obeys, but at night, revealing that his obedience is real but weak. His demand for repeated signs with the fleece further displays a heart that knows God has spoken yet struggles to trust, trying to put God in a controllable box rather than simply submitting to His word.
God nevertheless works through Gideon in a way that makes it unmistakable that the victory belongs to the Lord. Gideon rallies 32,000 men, but God deliberately reduces the army to 300 so that Israel cannot boast in its own strength. Through strange tactics with trumpets, jars, and torches, God throws the vast Midianite camp into confusion and defeats them. Gideon’s faith in this “middle act” is commendable: he listens to God, follows difficult instructions against impossible odds, and acts on what God has promised. This illustrates Jesus’ teaching that even mustard-seed faith, when placed in the living God, participates in things humanly impossible. Faith does not generate power; faith connects us to the God of all power.
Yet Gideon’s story spirals downward. Once the external enemies are routed, his anger, pride, and desire for control begin to rule. He harshly punishes fellow Israelites who refused to help, executes an unjust personal vendetta, and starts to act like a king while claiming he will not be one. He collects tribute, fashions an ephod that becomes an object of idolatry, amasses wives and concubines, and names his son “My father is king.” After his death Israel quickly turns again to idols. Despite this dark ending, Hebrews 11 still lists Gideon as an example of faith, which underlines that Scripture is commending not a flawless hero but a sinner whom God used by grace.
Gideon’s story ultimately pushes us beyond Gideon to Christ. Where Gideon is fearful, Jesus steps boldly into His mission. Where Gideon’s “warfare” against idols turns into violence against his own people, Jesus’ warfare against Satan and demons is paired with compassion for sinners. Where Gideon wields thorns to punish, Jesus wears a crown of thorns and bears punishment in our place. Gideon wrongly takes on king and priest roles for his own glory; Jesus is the true King and High Priest who lays down His life and now reigns and intercedes for His people. Our hope is not that we can become better than Gideon by trying harder, but that, united to Christ by grace through faith, we are held by the One who is always faithful, even when we are faithless.
Key Takeaways
- Power in God, not faith - Biblical faith is not about how strong we feel but about whom we trust; even small, fragile faith placed in the sovereign, saving God participates in His purposes.
- Honest about fear and failure - Scripture is realistic about our fears, doubts, and mixed motives, yet God still calls, uses, and refines weak people, inviting us to repent of idolatry and obey Him in dependence on His grace.
- Jesus, the better Gideon - Gideon’s partial obedience and tragic ending create a contrast with Jesus, the true and greater Deliverer whose perfect obedience, sacrificial death, and resurrection secure eternal peace for His people.
Discussion Questions
- What does it mean when Judges says all Israel "was doing what was right in their own eyes"?
- Where is your faith being impacted by fear?
- Where God has clearly commanded, do you listen and follow through?
- How do you discern God's will without falling into superstition or demanding signs?
- Is there a ministry, relationship, or opportunity God is calling you to step into?
- Where does your faith falter when tired, angry, or leaning on your own wisdom?
- What would you emphasize about Jesus as the true and better Deliverer if you were sharing with someone who has been deeply hurt by religious leaders misusing power, as Gideon did at the end of his life?
Practical Applications
- Face your fears with God’s presence - Identify one area of life this week where fear tends to rule (finances, relationships, health, future), and intentionally bring it before the Lord in prayer, naming the fear and then rehearsing specific Scriptures about His presence and sovereignty over it.
- Act on God’s Word in small steps - Ask God to show you one clear, biblically grounded step of obedience He is calling you to take (repenting of a sin, reconciling with someone, serving, giving, speaking of Christ, etc.), and then share that step with a trusted believer and follow through, trusting that God delights to work through even mustard-seed faith.