Part 16: Grumble or Trust? – You Choose

Biker to join me on stage and you may have noticed this morning and over the last couple weeks.

And why don't you tell everyone that the you are first for those who may not know who you are. My name is Tom Spiker. I was the founding Pastor the church and served in that capacity for about 15 years before I gave way to Josh praise God and no, I don't mean that I didn't enjoy it but he's a good and very adequate replacement.

more than adequate Anyhow for the first fifteen years of the church it actually until I was always involved in what we then called Bible studies continuously for that entire time enjoyed it and it takes you from a point where you see people you think what's their name? I know they come to church to where you actually know them, you know their families, you know, how they think some of their emotions it's really a special thing and then I went to the other side of it when I went to CVS Pharmacy and I had to work every other Sunday it became very difficult to be a part of it last year Kirk and Annette invited Tammy and me back and why we didn't make it 100% of the time. I realized how much I missed it and I just told Tammy last night. I said we found ourselves saying it over the years. We really miss that. We need to be a part of it. So that's my background and experience with life groups and we are going to be

transition

That's correct. Because of scheduling issues. It was very difficult for me to consistently attend. So we're moving we're starting a new group and hopefully transitioning are old group to Sunday morning at 8 and we figure if we get The Shard started at eight sharp, we can be done in plenty of time for people to be apart of the preacher church and church activities. So that's something new we're trying and you're all welcome to be a part of it if you like Tom and if you're interested in being a part of a group including X, there's others out there Hannah and I are starting a new group as well for young married couples, which ours is full. It's going to be a lively group or pretty excited about half of them have been just married in the last 6 months. So it'll be cool. So we're Old-Timers compared to some of you guys which gives us a little bit of wisdom I guess but we're really looking forward to that but there's all kinds of different groups. And really get to know some people get connected in a group. You're just committing for the fall and on your way out this morning and again next Sunday. This week though. We are again in the book of Exodus. We've been studying this for quite a while now, and I picked it up again and get up again.

And so if you want to turn there, you can turn the air and while you do I'm going to pray and then we're going to dive in. Father thank you for Jesus Lord. There's there's a lot to cover today. It's short passage. But a lot there for us, I believe and so I pray that you feel your spirit with speak to me and speak through me you. Teach me even as I teach that uses that I've wrestled with some of these things this week. You would make them true of me and if my spirit and of my heart sting you in following you and I pray that for each of us. I'm more and more each day making us more like your son Jesus other I pray against the enemy as servants their works in the facts Holy Spirit, would you come and teach us and protect us and guide us into all truth that we might become more and more like Jesus. It's all about him and it's in his name. We pray. Amen.

The subtitle of this series is Jesus frees us and the exit.

and it's not

another free

Cross the Red Sea with God's people of this rescue and really if your follower of Jesus. right now Are you following? Are you growing or? Are you doing with the Israelites did and the reality is Paul tells us that what's written here was written as an example for us. Don't ever let anyone tell you that the Old Testament doesn't matter. They're full of it that's nonsense the Old Testament all points to Jesus. And so this morning we're going to look at some things that really they were connecting to me that we can fixing a belief to you as you look at how you live your life as a follower of Jesus, where we've been in the story The People are have been rescued from being slaves in Egypt God rescued them and they've crossed the Red Sea and I kind of show you this.

I'm not the traditional side of Mount Sinai, but I believe Mount Sinai more likely than not is in Saudi Arabia. And so I believe that's where they're at the land of Midian in the text and they're on their way to Mount Sinai after crossing the Red Sea. And last week we saw them grumbling.

Anybody Grumble this week? anybody

Just in our house and they were the only one Anna was with somebody this week. He heard their grumbling, but he responds with Grace you responds with Grace so that we choose to obey Jesus and to follow him. the people were truly free from Egypt but what you're going to see here is their living out this new reality is they always want to go back to their old way of You've experienced that you trusted Jesus and get there's this pole isn't there like you used to be?

towards slavery tour this old way of living toward their grumbling against Moses rebelling against the

The writer of Proverbs says that that's that's the fool and he says in 26 verse 11 that the fool.

That's what it's like.

And were pulled back into Old patterns of sin. Well, thank God hears our grumbling in that he notices are pull that he responds with Grace of a choo, choo. Choose Jesus and Obey him last week. We talked about choosing to obey and then choosing God's blessing or choosing to sin and choosing to suffer. Not what I didn't say last week. Was that every time you suffer? It's because you chose to suffer. I never said that today, but I did not say that every time you your life is going to go great and perfect and you're going to have plenty of money in the bank and all the perfect house. I never said that either did I but I did say that cuz you choose to obey you will receive. Honor your obedience.

now here we are. We seeing God graciously provide for them. He made Bitter Water sweet after they grumbled. He provided Manna and food for them after they grumbled about having no food, and now they're continuing their Caravan for another couple weeks and they continued and God's going to test them in a similar way. Let's pick it up here in Exodus chapter 17 starting in verse one. It says Congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the Wilderness of sin by stages all the people. This is likely about a million men women children probably at least a million people according to the commandant of the Lord and they can't atrophy theme.

Is it God is the one? Is directing their steps. And God is the one who's leading them into this test. Before we even get there God's the one leading them. He's directing their paths, you know the same applies today that God will direct your life. He will direct your life as you trust them and follow him and allow him to. Networks. Are you reading his word? Talk to me this week. Have you opened it? Have you been reading it?

And directs your life and leads you is through the power of a Spirit by reading his word and the spirit were told in God's word that he illuminates the text gives us Direction. if you're not in God's word, it's going to be really hard for him to direct your life because of his precepts and all of the

we like to say

then right after that.

We're to believe it and all that it promises and all that. It says it requires. You got to get in his word.

In Proverbs Chapter 6 the writer Proverbs. Almanac says, he says my son keep your father's Commandments forsake. Not your mother's teaching and he's he's speaking of the goodness of our heavenly father. Harkening back to Deuteronomy 11 always tie them around your neck when you walk.

Somebody read it for me.

Judas hung himself

God will direct your life through it friends. You want a good start for that? No Proverbs here is telling us to to tie his word around your neck, you know proverbs 31 chapters and you might just consider every day. Whatever the date is read that chapter in Proverbs Chapter 2. I believe if you do that, you'll start to see God directing your life and new ways. He does it through his word when you walk they will lead you when you lie down to watch over you and you will wake the talk with you for the Commandment is a lamp in the teaching of light and the reproofs of discipline of the way of life hotels a young guy by the name of Timothy pastoring a church in Ephesus. He says

reproof for correction for training in righteousness that the man of God and the woman of God may be complete equipped for every good work. You got to read his word. If you want to be dirty have your life directed by him and hear from him the people in in in the wilderness here on their way to Mount Sinai. They heard directly from God through Moses even heard him all the people will hear God's voice. Tell them the Ten Commandments down at the bottom of the mountain when Moses is up on top. Audibly spoke them's in the hearing of everyone we're told

That's all in the Old Testament in the prophets. But Peter tells us you have a more sure word written down for you. Read it over the time. It's going to take time. It's not going to happen overnight. Fact that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing for something to have its full effect. What what does it need to do? It's a set for a while you're making tea. You're making it to you but happens if you take the tea bagging just dip it and pull it out.

You got water. But if you leave the tea bag in the water and let it have its full effect. What do you get? And sometimes it takes a while. The same thing with God's word Paul tells us in Colossians. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. And when you do that it changes you smell different you look different.

Something new about you. Let steadfastness have its full effect sometimes.

Fun, isn't it? And it's kind of hard culture is just got in a big hurry. It's really sped up and like everything is instant, but we had to slow down to hear from The Lord of the reality. Is that God as he directs us. It doesn't usually happen in an instant it often happens Choice by choice day by day week by week month by month year by year decade after decade and slowly as you look back it takes time, but you see is leading in your life, don't you you seem changing you? Time for him to change you. And not only that it requires some trust out of you. It requires you to trust God. What it looks like to press to just kind of two levels of trust. There's one part of trust in God where we trust him to do all things. Would you agree with that? Like a special hazard lights to Salvation about Jesus. You have nothing to add to that other than to have faith in Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. It's all about Jesus. But there's also a part of trust. That is a partnership with God your salvation is all trust in him. Your sanctification is trusting him, but it's also partnering with him. It's a partnership with God.

Just living in combination with Jesus Through Spirit like new talked about a few weeks ago. Not Jesus Take the Wheel where there's nothing else for you to do.

Make me new change me the song that starts this trust in the Lord and do good. trust in Jesus to do it, but also me what

Partnership for me to give you the desires of your heart. The breach that wrongly would say trust Jesus and he's going to make all your wildest dreams come true. That's not true. If he will give you the desires of your heart. I believe that means he will give you new design. He will give you desires of change you have direct your life.

Find out here is God has directed the Israelites to this place. It says they went from place to place.

As the Lord directed them. But they didn't do this part. They didn't trust God is he was directing him. They didn't trust their leaders. In fact what they did a hard into their hearts. It hardens them. Friends, this is a sobering example for everyone of us that we not Harden our hearts. So 95, you know what this event in The Exodus is quoted over and over and over and over again in the Old and New Testaments and install 95 the song that says this today if you hear his voice do not Harden your hearts. Before we fully renovated everything there was that and it's going to be there again at some point, but there's kind of some words on the back wall as you left the church, right and it was Lucifer today if you hear his voice.

It was we really we haven't even hardly gotten into the text yet. So as we do maybe that would be a good explanation to all of us that today is we hear God's voice speaking to us through his word cuz that's how he directs us. That's how he leads us by the power of His Spirit through his word. Let's not Harden your hearts. It's hard on our hearts like they did as at meribah as on the day at

he's referencing here in this text. If you look down and next to the 17 2 verse 7, you'll find out that the day we're looking at today in the Texas the day that he's referencing. Sing don't be like they did in Exodus 17. Quoted in the book of Hebrews as well as turn there briefly. Look at Hebrews chapter 3 mission for us before we really die. Then in chapter 3 starting in first 7, the writer of Hebrews is riding and he's talking about Jesus being an even greater leader than Moses when he starts like this and for seven therefore as the holy spirit says today If you hear his voice, so we saw it is written in God's word. The holy spirit's directing as the holy spirit says today. If you hear his voice do not Harden your hearts as in the Rebellion on my works for 40 years. Therefore has provoked. I was provoked with that.

They have not known my ways as I swore in my wrath. They shall not enter my rest. Another was fake chosen to send they've chosen to suffer. They have chosen.

Picture Brothers he goes on to write the write a paper that says this is to ask friends.

and Evil

the Living God

Sharon Christ if a

It goes on and it continues and later in chapter 4 again. He says today today if you hear his voice don't Harden your hearts to get the point yet. Listen to the Lord today. They God will direct your life. But here's what we see in Exodus 7. He will direct your life. And often times it'll be two places that you would rather not go.

gobble director life So many times it will be two places you'd rather not go. Let's let's keep breathing and Exodus chapter 17.

All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the Wilderness of sin by stages in other words from place to place according to the commandant of the Lord. He was directing them. They camped at rephidim and remember he's directing them. I didn't read their end of verse one earlier today the place he directed them. There was no water for the people to drink.

directions are steps

That's not what I said.

That's true about the pipe. Follow Jesus everything's he's just going to leave me to all this perfect life. And sometimes he's actually often times. He's going to lead you to places you'd rather not go there in a place where there was no water. Keep that in mind.

Why'd you leave us here? And there Grumble against Moses was actually against God and God again respond.

provide for him This is literally within a week or two probably after those first testing of water and food.

So, let's see. Let's see what happens.

There was no water there, but then it says they're for the people quarreled with Moses. they contended with them they Took issue with him. Is a Moses give us water to drink man were thirsty. Why do you quarrel with me? Are you coming after me why then he goes on he gets to the real issue, right? He says why do you test the Lord? Like where were you last week when he provided water and food? Where were you this morning when you picked up? Mana? What was the Red Sea parted? Where were you when the Red Sea closed again?

Have you thought maybe he's testing you to see if you would.

Your arguments with him not me. The test. God is demanding or expecting him to do something special for you that you really don't necessarily deserve and it's not asking for that. but it's demanding it and it said

never thought that

I have half Moses does I would venture to say many of you have.

And it's testing him and it always involves some degree of doubt. The gods really going to come through. It's almost like giving yourself an out to say you know, what if you don't come through I quit I'm done. And we do that to the Lord, don't we?

Keep up the people verse 3 thirst of there for water in the people grumbled against Moses. They said

you're Delirious about their past aren't they? They were slaves man. I mean, why did I bring you up?

how to bring a cyst to kill us and our children and their livestock with thirst

Warren wiersbe, and if you may know him pastoriza passed away in the last year, he wrote this about this passage. He said every difficulty that God permits us to encounter. Every trial will become either a test that can make us better. Or Temptation that can make us worse and it would be saying there we can choose to obey God through it and I'll make us better. Hope glass us or we can choose it as a pet.

Then suffer making us worse. It's it's our own attitude that determines which it will be. Ultimately, it's your choices will work for us and not against us and help us grow in Grace. God will direct your life, but often he will lead you to a place you'd rather not go and the reality is that when you get to that place and maybe you're there today. You may not understand. fire there

never have that. You get to that place and you don't even understand how you got there like got to doing these things. I'm in your word. I'm praying. I'm trusting you. Why in the world would you leave me here?

He's the right one to ask. Jesus asked that Matthew chapter 27 when Jesus was on the cross Jesus cries out. He says my God my God. Why have you forsaken me?

Why did you leave me here? Okay to ask why?

But ultimately, the writer of Proverbs Proverbs reminds us trust in the Lord with all your heart don't lean on your own understanding

But in all your ways acknowledge Him it goes on in first 6 and he'll make your path straight.

Andrea is you may not understand and you may never understand you may not ever understand. Clear later looking back other times. You'll never understand it. You will never get it. I don't have a good answer for you. Either other than God is still good. He still in control. And he has a plan. Even when it makes zero sense just ask a guy named Jobe in the Bible who is like his wife is the original country song. Hurry up. Like he had everything incredible. Well, he lost it all he lost all of his children. He loved everything and then his wife turned on him and just began nagging him all in 24 hours.

And you know what the end job begins to ask why. And you know God's response.

Why? If I made everything are you questioning this where were you and you know, I I dug out the bottom of the ocean. Have you seen it down there? It's pretty cool there.

He never finds out. Why?

You may never understand but God is still directing your pads.

So bring your doubts. ask him why Jesus did a check your attitude Can you can control your attitude? Why are you really asking?

Or is it that you would learn to trust him more? Peter tells us to cast all of our anxieties on him because he does care for you that includes your doubts friends. and in fact Jesus Friend Thomas didn't want

so for the fact that he gets the rest of time. How did God respond to his doubts? How did Jesus respond with Grace? the ghost in with Grace But it was with the right attitude. Do you have agency to choose your attitude? The reason that God does all these things we may not know exactly but ultimately it is for Jesus glory and ultimately maybe not even in this life. But ultimately it's for your good and for our good that's what the question in front of you is what you choose Faith to believe that we choose to trust God giving you this definition of Faith before right? We're biblical face. I got this for my pass when I was in college and so helpful for me, but it's it's for parts number one to believe God's word. What is it recognizes?

on it and Trust

part 3 no matter how I feel because the ugly reality of all of us could expose our hearts this morning. Is that many times if not most of the time? There's not a desire to do it. Believe in God's word. No matter how I feel. Do you think the Israelites if they could have taken this advice? Are they believe this place?

Because there was no water and why do you do that? Because God promises a good result as we trust him. And the last time I checked he keeps all of his promises everyone.

Trust him the God will direct your life often to places you'd rather not go but he will always go with you looking for S4. Here they are there at this test and they're grumbling and they're testing God they're being tested and in response. They test God.

Was there homeless ready to Stone me? As a as a pastor in any of you as a leader of anything, maybe as a parent you understand like the desperation nose.

People are grumbling or frustrated with you about something.

what I do and by the way, God speaking not just to the people but also to the leader also to Moses here because

vulnerable spot here And I have a feeling that Moses that is he was pained by this repeated grumbling of the people.

Kid run more and more sensitive to their criticism and whether they were about to Stone him or not. That's how it felt to him. I got by the writer of Hebrews instructs Us in in in Hebrews to make it a joy for those who lead.

Verse 5 and the Lord said to Moses pass on Moses before the people take him with you some of the Elders of Israel. It's not just you leading. It's working through all of you take some of the elders and taking her and the staff with what you struck the Nile and go I told you earlier this spring when we are studying the beginnings of Exodus Moses staff. God said it was a person Staffing that they would like their passport. It was like their ID, right and so Moses staff is called God staff and it's the symbol of God's presence among them often times. It would have been carved in them to identify the person of the lawn to so this is this is symbolic of God being with Moses and he says in verse 6, not only the symbol of the staff to check this out Moses. I will stand

And you shall strike The Rock? And water will come out of it and the people will drink and Moses did so in the sight of the Elders of Israel and he called the name of the place massage and Mara by which means testing and grumbling because of the quarreling of the people of Israel because they tested the Lord by saying is the Lord not among us are not.

Did Jesus want with Moses he actually stood before him in front of The Rock when if the pillar of cloud moved over to protect Moses during this moment and it in fact, it's almost this idea that as he strikes The Rock God is there in front of it? Who is he striking? God and we will be learning Isaiah chapter 48 that The Rock split when Moses Struck it hears a potential of what the the Split Rock of Horeb looks like today even. And water came gushing out fresh water for the people to drink. That Jesus went with Moses and he went with the Israelites and all of this. It's a reminder that Jesus saves in and you know, the Apostle Paul quotes all of this in 1st Corinthians 10. And he actually says that rock let me just read it to you and keep watching that while I read brothers and sisters. Here's what I want you to know about our people who lived long ago. They were all led by the cloud. They all walked through the Red Sea. They were all baptized into Moses identified with him in the cloud and in the sea the same Supernatural Supernatural.

Call says.

Call Ashley draws a parallel to God providing for them here to Jesus providing for us today. The Jesus is the one who provided for them that he's the rock is the one who provides safety and shelter and Watterson rest your soul

He goes with Moses to go there so I could go with you. Jesus said behold. I Am With You Always even to the End of the Age Romans Paul writes. I'm sure that neither death nor life nor angels nor rulers or things present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ. Jesus our lord. He says I will never leave you or forsake you friends God will direct your life. An often if you become a Christian life isn't necessarily going to get easier. It will get better. It will be better.

But it may not and probably won't get easier. In fact, God will probably lead you to places you'd rather not go just like he let his son. And by the way, that's his goal is to make you more and more like his son. So he may actually lead you through some of the same things. Jesus himself had to go through here's the great promise. relieve as you trust

so today if you hear his voice.

Like they did in the wilderness where they were.

disobedience

will you trust them? You never trust a Jesus today.

I'm letting him. And then walking with him that he might help you in partnership with you making you knew let me pray father. Thanks for Jesus. Thank you that Paul said Jesus you are the one to go with the Israelites that you went before them. You led them you provided for them over and over you should Grace to them. I was a precursor to the grace that you would show to us.

Jesus you are the rock that provides water for us to drink that we would never be thirsty but that we would be satisfied and have all that we need. You are the one who saves us and makes us new it only leads at. but when the reality is there's a lot of times where you lead us and if we're honest, we don't want to follow we don't want to go there. Are you still in control? You're still faithful we can still trust you. Set the day Lord, whatever it is. We're facing up this to trust you. I hear your voice. Harden the hearts like they did in the wilderness if you hear God's voice calling you today. Today might be the day that you turn to Jesus for the first time in faith there today might be the day. You need to make some decisions. choices Choose to follow choose to obey. Choose to lay down your bitterness.

Just to lay down your complaining.

Choose to forgive that person you haven't forgiven.

Just to put that sin away.

Choose to follow Jesus.