God’s Grace is INCREDIBLE!

MOSES STRIKES THE ROCK FOR WATER

Welcome back to SummerBlast Week 3!!!

If you could only drink one thing for therest of your life, what would it be?

Who remembers what we have learned so far?

Following the Lord is FUN!

When we obey the commands of God.

Disobeying the Lord is DISASTROUS!

When we disobey the commands of God.

This week we are going to see that…

GOD’S GRACE IS INCREDIBLE!!!

Even we complain to the Lord.

Where are the people of Israel wondering in?

The wilderness

How long will they be wondering?

40 Years

Now they are wondering, camping, hiking, following wherever the Lord goes.

At times they have been obedient to God and are trusting in what he says to them and tells them but other times they are disobedient, not trusting in what God says and it is disastrous for them, they were punished.

But even when people complain, God still takes care of his people by providing the things they need.

Now lets look and see what happens in this story of the Israelites in the wilderness.

Numbers 20:2–5(ESV)

2 Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord! 4 Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.”

So what is it that the people are saying at this point?

They are not happy that they have no water. They say they would have rather died in the past with others rather than continue to live in the wilderness.

Are they choosing fear or faith? Definitely fear. They are not trusting that God will continue to take care of them.

God helped them escape from Egypt where they were enslaved, He helped them cross the Red Sea, He provided manna for them to eat. God even provided water for them from a rock.

In Exodus 17, the people complained about not having water and God told Moses to strike a rock with the staff that he used to part the Red Sea.

God specifically told Moses to strike the rock with a staff. This time God tells Moses to do something different.

So the people complain to Moses and Aaron, and this is their response.

Numbers 20:6–9 (ESV)

6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them, 7 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” 9 And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him.

So the people are complaining to Moses and Aaron and so Moses and Aaron go before God and God speaks to them. What does God tell Moses to do?

Speak to the rock and water will come out.

That is different then what God told him before. The last time this happened God told him to strike the rock. This time he only tells him to speak to the rock.

What do you think Moses is going to do?

Numbers 20:10–11 (ESV)

10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them… shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.

Did Moses listen to the command of God or do his own thing?

He decided to do his own thing this time.

but the crazy thing is that it worked! But its not because of who Moses is but it is because God is gracious and is providing for the needs of the people.

Does anyone know what GRACE means?

Getting something that we don’t deserve.

Did the people of Israel deserve the water? No!

But they did need it to survive. God knew that they needed water but He wanted them to trust in Him to provide for them, rather, they grumble and complain and wish that they would have died.

This is what God says to Moses and Aaron after Moses struck the rock rather than just speaking to it.

Numbers 20:12 (ESV)

12 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

Because of what Moses did, all the people of Israel will not get to enter into the promised land, they will wander so long that it will eventually be their kids who will enter the promised land.

Because of Moses and the people’s disobedience, it was disastrous, they don’t get to go to the promised land, but because of God’s grace, they are given the things that they need, water!

What is really cool is that when we make mistakes, God still takes care of us. God loves us. God provides the things that we need.

Has anyone ever made a mistake? Im sure we all have, but the great thing is is that God loves each and every one of us, and even when we do wrong, God is a gracious and will continue to provide the things we need and love us.

But God wants us to be listen to what he says very carefully and make sure we do what he says and not our own desires.

Before we split into our tribes, we need to continue to work on our memory verse.

Numbers 6:24–26 (ESV)

The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.