Osceola Sermon Bible Numbers Pastor Bob Vale / January 27 th, 2013 In Numbers: January 27 th, 2013 Book Theme: He is your guide. Sermon Title: Crawling out of the Complaining hole. Sermon Topic: Walking with God daily. Sermon Text: Numbers 11:14-15 Speaker: Pastor Bob Vale Biblical Focus: Psalms 27:11 Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Scripture Lesson: Numbers 11:1-21 NU 11:1 Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. 2 When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the LORD and the fire died down. 3 So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the LORD had burned among them. NU 11:4 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost--also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!" NU 11:7 The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin. 8 The people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a handmill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into cakes. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. 9 When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down. NU 11:10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent. The LORD became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the LORD, "Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as
a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? 13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, `Give us meat to eat!' 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now--if I have found favor in your eyes--and do not let me face my own ruin." NU 11:16 The LORD said to Moses: "Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone. NU 11:18 "Tell the people: `Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The LORD heard you when you wailed, "If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!" Now the LORD will give you meat, and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month--until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it-- because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?" ' " 8:30 a.m. Traditional Worship Service: Hymn of Praise: # 136 O How I Love Jesus (Wildwood Book) Apostles Creed: # 881 Prayer Hymn: # 96 Thank You Lord (Wildwood Book) Hymn of Response: # 97 Revive Us Again (Wildwood book) Solid Praise Service: See the list Matt Boggs will give for that Sunday.
This is a sermon about complaining. A guy joins a monastery and takes a vow of silence: he s allowed to say two words every seven years. After the first seven years, the elders bring him in and ask for his two words. "Cold floors," he says. They nod and send him away. Seven more years pass. They bring him back in and ask for his two words. He clears his throats and says, "Bad food." They nod and send him away. Seven more years pass. They bring him in for his two words. "I quit," he says. After the young monk leaves the room, one elder says to the others, "That s not surprising," "he s done nothing but complain since he got here." Today we are going to look at the experience and leadership of Moses as he led the Hebrews through the desert for 40 year. Boy, were they complainers. Survey of the book of Numbers in the Bible Author: Moses was the author of the Book of Numbers. (Five books) Date of Writing: The Book of Numbers was written between 1440 and 1400 B.C. How it got its name? The book of numbers is so named because it details two times of census or the counting of the people of Israel by Moses. Purpose of Writing: The book of numbers tells the story how the people of Israel prepared to enter into the promise land, but sinned and were punished along the way. Benediction Key Verses: Numbers 6:24-26, "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."
Our scripture today begins with complaining! Hard to believe people complained to both Moses and God. Do you remember some of the things the Israelites complained about to Moses as they were wandering in the dessert? 1. No Water: Moses hit the rock and water came out. 2. No Food: God gave them manna from heaven. 3. Manna was not good enough they wanted meat: God gave them quail on the ground. 4. They even wanted to go back to Egypt and become slaves again. 5. Even Moses complained about all of the hard work & burden of leadership: The Lord helped him establish 70 elders as leaders and gave them some of the spirit to help them lead. Have you ever tried to go a week without complaining? I tried to go one month once without complaining. It was tough!!! 1. No complaining about the food you are served. 2. No complaining about your favorite sports team that has lost the big game because of a bad call by the referee. 3. No complaining about the bad driver who cut you off in traffic; and the sordid names or hand signals you want to share with them. 4. No mother in law complaining. 5. No complaining about high taxes, high gas prices, high electric or heating bills, pesky telemarketers, or technical phone assistants who can t speak the English language very well, or long lines at the store and definitely no complaining about trains that slowly cross or sometimes stop on the rail road tracks in Osceola.
I wore a purple wrist band to that said no complaining, to remind me to not complain. In fact, the entire church I served made this commitment not to complain for one month. (A Complaint Free World.) It was interesting to hear the stories and testimonies of our congregation as they struggled not to be complainers, but over comers and joyful people in all circumstances. The Hebrew people seemed to be constant complainers. Have you ever met a constant complainer? Theses constant complainer types remind me of the cartoon character in the Whinny The Poo story called, Eeyore. Eeyore was a constant complainer. He seemed to be clinically depressed. The glass was always half empty and never half full. There always seemed to be a dark rain cloud following him around. Even his voice was sad and depressed. All the characters around him are having a great time in the forest, except for Eeyore. He was blessed, yet depressed. Many times I wonder if we Americans are much like Eeyore and the Hebrew people. We are so spoiled here in America, that we seem to complain about things that are not all that important in the big picture of life. Some of us are so blessed.yet depressed.
We are so blessed in the land.yet some of us complain rather than find contentment in whatever situation we find ourselves. When problems in life come up, that is when we see the true character of a person come out. When a person faces problems, his or her character is revealed. As a result, two people can face the same problem in different ways. Do you remember the story of Moses sending in 12 spies into the promise land to see if it could be over taken? Of the 12 spies.10 of them came back and said the land is filled with giants and we should not go in. Yet there were two spies: Joshua and Caleb who said, the land is filled with Milk and Honey and we should definitely go in to take the land. The ten spies saw the giants in the land and forgot about God s power, while Caleb and Joshua saw God s power and didn t fear the giants (Nu 13:25-33; 14:5-9). What Giants do you fear today in your life? 1. Do you feel God can help you face the giants in your life? 2. Have you been afraid to move forward in an area of your life? 3. Remember the great 10 finger prayer and scripture passage: (Phil. 4:13 I can do everything, through Christ who gives me strength. Illustration: Change Your Altitude: A few years ago, a couple of adventurers tried to become the first to circle the globe in a hot air balloon. They took off from St. Louis, Missouri, rose to 24,000 feet, and started eastward across the Atlantic Ocean toward Africa. The prevailing winds carried the balloonists on a direct course for Libya, which was a big problem. Libya is ruled by a dictator who hates Americans and doesn t want American balloons flying over his country. There was a pretty good chance that the balloon would be shot down if it crossed Libyan air space. This brings up another big problem. Hot air balloons aren t easy to turn. In fact, they can t be turned at all. They re at the mercy of the wind.
But they can find different winds. This is done by changing altitude. At a higher or lower altitude, a balloonist can usually find a crosswind blowing in a different direction. So the quick thinking adventurers started letting hot air out of their balloon and dropped 6,000 feet. At that altitude, they found a wind that was blowing south rather than east. Once they were safely to the south of Libya and its missiles, they heated up the balloon, rose almost 10,000 feet, and caught another wind that was blowing eastward toward their destination. Application: Balloonists are at the mercy of the wind and can go only in the direction that the wind is blowing. Likewise, some people think they are at the mercy of circumstances. Stuff happens or life happens, they say, and there s nothing you can do about it. But there is something you can do. Just as balloonists can change their altitude, so you can change your attitude. We can pray to God for help to change our attitude. When you change your attitude, you change your direction. You re no longer at the mercy of circumstances. Remember what Paul wrote when he was in prison: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4.) Paul wasn t a prisoner to his circumstances. In his heart, he was free. By changing his attitude, he was able to change the world. I also like what the Apostle Paul says a bit earlier in this passage: Phil. 4:11-13 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
I find it interesting that in nearly every complaint by the Hebrew people: God takes care of their daily need. 1. They are thirsty.god gives them water. 2. They are hungry.god gives them manna from heaven. 3. They want meat..god gives them birds in the morning. 4. Moses needs help leading.god sets up the 70 Elders. God took care of their daily needs. Does not God do the same for us today? He takes care of our daily needs. (Maybe not our wants but certainly our daily needs.) I have an interesting point and questions to ask you out of the book of Numbers. The question is Why didn t God allow Moses to lead the people into the promise land? Turn in your Bibles to Numbers 20:7-13 Open your Bible to Numbers 20:7 13 NU 20:6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. 7 The LORD said to Moses, 8 "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink." NU 20:9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
NU 20:12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them." Why was God so upset with Moses? Moses got water from the rock to give to the people. 1. Moses simply disobeyed God. 2. Moses did not trust God to simply speak to the rock for water. 3. Moses messed up a perfect analogy or type from the old testament into the new testament. a. God was trying to set up an understanding of a future relationship of salvation with Jesus Christ in mind. b. Many times there are what we call, types which are symbols in the Old Testament that shine a light of truth or prophecy into the New Testament. For Example. 1. Adam brought sin into the world.jesus takes sin out of the world. 2. Sarah & Abraham had a miracle birth as Mary & Joseph had a miracle birth of Jesus. 3. The Passover with the blood over the doorpost to save the first born Hebrew child is a New Testament example of the blood of Christ to save humanity. 4. The brazen serpent, lifted up in the wilderness, through which the people found physical healing (Numbers 21:8) was a type of the lifted-up Christ (John 3:14; 12:32), as He was lifted on the cross spiritual healing comes (Isaiah 53:5). 5. The scapegoat in the Old Testament to take away the sins of the community is an example of Jesus taking away the sins of the world. 6. God had a great analogy planned of Moses striking the rock once for water salvation in Exodus 17:6 to represent the striking of Jesus on the cross for the salvation of all humanity. The second opportunity to get water for the
Hebrew people needed to come from speaking to the rock and not to strike the rock. God asked Moses to speak to the rock as we are asked to Speak to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and salvation comes. God was asking Moses to help set up a type in the scriptures from the Old Testament to the New Testament, and Moses chose to do things his own way; Thus angering the Lord greatly. God was working with the Hebrew people to help them into the promise land. Times were tough and some folks began to get depressed. Depression (Feelings of dejection, sadness, apathy, inertia, difficulty in gaining energy or excitement, fatigue, pessimism, hopelessness, fear, attitudes of worthlessness, hopelessness, loss of interest, inability to experience pleasure, a loss of self-esteem or potential) is experienced by everyone. N. Kline wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association (190:732-40), "More suffering has resulted from depression than from any other single disease affecting mankind." Even though times were tough.god was with them. He led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night. When they struggled, they picked themselves back up and kept walking and moving forward. Shake It Off: Once upon a time a farmer s mule fell into a dry well. When the farmer heard the mule s braying and realized what had happened, he determined that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and enlisted their help in burying the old mule in the well and putting him out of his misery. Initially, the old mule was very upset. You would be, too, if you were in a deep hole and people started throwing dirt in on top of you! But as the dirt rained down on his back, the old mule had a thought. He
decided that every time a shovel of dirt landed on his back, he would shake it off and step up. And that s what he did. As the dirt cascaded down the well, the old mule kept shaking it off and stepping up. Hours later, the exhausted mule finally stepped over the wall of the well. What was meant to bury him actually helped him! James 1:2 & 3 JAS 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perhaps we can shake off some of our problems and learn to walk above them. 1. Folks, when life gives you lemons.make lemonaid. 2. Keep moving forward as the Hebrew people did and eventually you will get to your promise land. 3. If you are finding yourself in a hole of complaining or depression do your best to crawl out. God will help you! Let s Pray, Lord, when we complain remind us of our many blessings. When we feel depressed.remind us of those who dearly love us. When we want to cry out in frustration calm our spirit with your loving presence. Remind us that you have all things under control if we will but trust in you. Amen. Words of Wisdom: Dale Carnegie in his book, How to win friends and influence people once said, Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving. Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) Benediction: Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Pastor Bob Sermon Notes: I The Complaints of the Hebrew People II. Have you tried to be complaint free? III. What Giants do you have in your life? IV. Why did God let Moses into the promise land? V. Shake it off and walk daily with God.