Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Our text this morning demands some page flipping so if you would open your bibles to 1 Corinthians 10:1, go ahead and mark your place now because we will be exploring the Bible this morning.

But before we evaluate the Word this morning, listen and worship with me as I read our text in 1 Corinthians 10.

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink.

For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 1 Co 10:1–5.

To understand and apply our text this morning we will consider the theme: Yesterday’s Failures are for Today’s Formation

To understand our theme, we will first explore 3 different historical accounts:

The Red Sea (v.1-2) (Referencing Exodus 13-14)

The Manna and the Rock (v.3-4) (Referencing Exodus 16-17)

The Intercessor in the Wilderness (v.5) (Referencing Numbers 14)

Pray with me

The First Account: The Red Sea (Referencing Exodus 13-14)

Our first account to consider is The Red Sea (v.1-2)

Read with me from Exodus 13

Exodus 13:17-22 17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near.

For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” 18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea.

And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle.

19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones with you from here.”

20 And they moved on from Succoth and encamped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness.

21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.

22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

Then we read in chapter 14:1-18 and hear God telling Moses to turn back and encamp by the sea.

God intended for Pharaoh to pursue Israel through the Red Sea.

As God decreed, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army began their pursuit.

Israel grumbles, even in the midst of their deliverance.

And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today.

For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.

The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

And so, God commanded Moses to raise his staff, and so God parted the Red Sea.

19 Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, 20 coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel.

And there was the cloud and the darkness.

And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22 And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

23 The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

24 And in the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, 25 clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily.

And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.”

26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.”

Israel is buried in baptism through the Red Sea and by the Lord’s might and provisions they are delivered out of the water into life.

The Egyptians, however, were buried in baptism, but were found lifeless upon the shore

31 Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

10:1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea

Why did Paul include this account?

Consider who were the recipients of Grace in the story

Who enjoyed the Lord’s protection in the form of fire and smoke?

Was it all of Israel or was it but a few?

What of those grumblers?

Were they granted life at the hand of the Red Sea?

Consider the grace of God.

Consider his mercies.

Consider that He extended the benefits of His presence even to those who grumbled and did not believe in His great name.

And then Paul continues to build his case, let us consider:

The Second Account: The Manna and the Rock (Referencing Exodus 16-17)

The Manna and the Rock (v.3-4) (Referencing Exodus 16-176)

📷So, Israel begins their nomadic years, and along the way, and again the grumblers were clanging symbols creating concern.

Ex 16:2–8

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And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.”

6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against the LORD.

For what are we, that you grumble against us?” 8 And Moses said, “When the LORD gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we?

Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD.”

The grumbler drives the story yet again.

They hunger and so they do not trust the Lord.

Yet the Lord in His graciousness supplied the people with Manna from Heaven.

Now consider Exodus 17

when the people thirst.

Ex 17:2–7

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Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”

And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me?

Why do you test the LORD?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4 So Moses cried to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people?

They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 And the LORD said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.

6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.”

And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.

7 And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the LORD by saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”

Mercies upon mercies, the people grumble against the Lord yet again.

What audacity to question “Is the LORD among us or not?”

And yet the Lord did not withhold water from the grumblers, nor did He withhold the manna.

3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink.

But before we consider Jesus as the Rock, consider those unfaithful that stood in the midst of the faithful benefitted from the Lord’s provision and grace.

But those graces and mercies did not last forever.

The Third Account: The Intercessor in the Wilderness (Referencing Numbers 14)

The Intercessor in the Wilderness (v.5) (Referencing Numbers 14)

Finally, the great mercies of the Lord are exhausted.

The time has come where those who benefit from the name of Israel without faithfully trusting and serving the God of Israel will be crushed.

Nu 14:1–4

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Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron.

The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt!

Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword?

Our wives and our little ones will become a prey.

Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

Nu 14:11–12

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11 And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me?

And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?

12 I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”

It is here that Moses intercedes on behalf of God’s people, that they would not be destroyed, though they deserve it saying:

Nu 14:18–19.

18

‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’

19 Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”