In Those Days as Today

In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. Human beings have a troubling history of rejecting freedom--as if they're strangely drawn to bondage both their own and that of others. Often overlooked the book of Judges offers a raw unfiltered glimpse into the moral chaos and mystery that lives in everyone. It holds up a mirror and dares readers to look. Through both godly and ungodly examples of leadership--worthy of emulation and avoidance--Judges reveals the human impulse to grasp for power and supposed autonomy and wield them recklessly like toddlers with Tonka trucks. This book is a collection of sermons from James Ellis III preached over the course of twelve months to a single congregation Maplewood Reformed Church as a Baptist pastoring Dutch Calvinist. For seasoned preachers or those just beginning to find their voice this collection is an invitation to wrestle with hard truths deepen biblical engagement and proclaim the full counsel of God. Accessible honest and unflinching these sermons will help build a bridge between the ancient text and this modern world--because the story of Judges is in many ways still a story for today.