How to get Back in the Race: Grace-filled Repentance vs. High-handed Presumption
Notes
Transcript
Handout
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Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Has a song ever stopped you in your tracks. Something like Cat Stevens, The Cat’s in the Cr addle, about parenting without really making the time and effort, to enter into the life of the growing child, than they leave, and they become just like you - here that song. Might play it again, might even stop and pull over and tears falling down your cheek. Ever watch a movie, and some poignant scene gets you thinking about your life, work, relationships, family. And days later day dreaming your thinking about it. Do you get it? We don’t just write a song or tell a story for the sake of the story. As C.S. Lewis put it once: we read to know we are not alone. And most of the great stories are designed not just with incessant action, but with pause and reflection, instruction. So the Gospel of Matthew for instance, isn’t just a chronological retelling of Jesus life, but Matthew organizes the events of life around five major teaching sections - Sermon on the Mount, Missionary Discourse, little great commission, Parables of the Kingdom, Discourse on Church - future comutniy of believers and the apostles role; Olivet Discourse - Lasts Day and the Very Last Day. And so too with the book of Numbers Moses at key points in the story - breaks it up with teaching and law. The lowest point of Israel just happened the watershed moment, when they were to leave stage of Egypt, Wilderness, enter the Land, rejected - and as Joshua and Caleb pointed out not just rejecting the land, and God’s leader, rejecting God in unbelief and despair. And GOd has promised pardon, but also that one generation will indeed die in the wilderness - and one will rise up by faith to inherit the land. Those 10 spies who gave the slanderous report of despair, do immediately die in the plague, those who refuse to listen to God and go up without the ark - defeated. But now as they regroup Moses records this pause in the story and for all generation to come he wants us to be asking which generation will I respond like to God. What is my attitude to God’s holiness and His gracious love. When I stumble, can I get up again, will God’s purpose be restored for us? And you have to put yourself in Israel's shoes to understand the Lords’ message
Key Truth: Your devotion & repentance unto God show you belong to the Generation of Faith
vs. (vs. high-handed sin & reviling God) who inherit the Promised Land.
And the Lord in this discourse gives us a teaching, an example, and a memento to underscore the atittude, the response that He is looking for from you and me if we are to be the second generation that will make it through the journey and get the Promised Land. First notice God’s
A) The Generation of Faith Receive God’s Teaching on Grace & Holiness
Like most of the sections of the book of numbers, we have a beginning with the Lord Speaking to Moses, but this time it comes with a Full and Extended Message Formula: It would be like opening a letter and seeing not just dear Harry in hand writing and the letter begins, But from the Primse Minister of Candaa, 24 suussex st. Ottatwa oN. To Mr Harry John Frielink, 18 Howard Drive, Dear Sir.... . We are going to see this special introduction again, when God tells them to enter the Land in ,. It is a remarkably hopeful new begining, the whole nation had gotten out of their land and been disqualified from the race, yet God says - look by faith some of you can get back up and get back in the race! That’s what the whole second generation stands for.
And so look at Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you,
“Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you,
i. Not if but when, and not the land that devours like the slanderous spies said devours, not the land Moses said go and get. but the land the Lord is gifting to you by grace! Isn’t this a wonderful reminder that by faith you God’s peopole can get back into the race. Now leave suspended in your mind the question about the first genreation, there are consequence to sin on earth, that may yet be pardoned, but that’s not the point of this text. IN the folowing instruction from God to people of faith, there is nothing at first about sin offerings, about final atonement. Remember from earlier in the book when the tabernacle was dedicated, their were basically three different kinds of offerings: sin offerings as pictures of atonement ultimately the Cross for forgiveness; then burnt offering were the big deal was that the whole offeringwas devoted to the Lord as a picture of awhole life being deovted to God, and then felwloship or comjunion offerings symbol of sitting down with God for a meal communion with Him and with those of faith around you!
Well what are God’s first instructions about for a peole of faith who will inherit thae land, even if 40 years later. Well, it was July when they tried to take the land, probably August Sept now and grain and now the olives and grapes abou tto be harvested. And remember what the spies were to do, no so much military scoting report, as whether God’s promises about the fruit of the land was true or not. Well now God says, that fruitfulness is going to be yours - but the moemnt you have your first September,
and you offer to the Lord from the herd or from the flock a food offering or a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or at your appointed feasts, to make a pleasing aroma to the Lord,
and you offer to the Lord from the herd or from the flock a food offering or a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or at your appointed feasts, to make a pleasing aroma to the Lord,
The point isn’t a sin offering for forgiveness, this presupposes they have that atonement, but they live and this sacrifice, the burnt offering OLAH< the whole offering is about you saying, my whole life a gift from God and the picture is of recognizing by faith entered into His Kingdom and His blessing, and with my whole self, offer my life back, and you know what with that offering, and its repeated with al the sacrfices in this chapter - its’ a pleasing aroma - It’s like walking home in winter from babll practice, smell ham and fried eggs in electric slkillet after thick pancakes… look at my brother after walking up two bighills both ways in snow - smell life is so good - gather aroudn that table.
God says, don’t jsut want the meat sacrafice, but look now v.4 grain TENTH OF EPHAH offering. Look now mixed with quarter HIN of oil. V.5 what else - A HIN of WINE. Interesting these added parts to a meal with God are not given in Leviticus, but now for genreation of faith - contemplating the land - Given. So interessting that these are also recorded in the New Temple of the Messiah at the end of Ezekiel’s prophesy - meat , bread oil, wine - Final sacrfices have been made, but as offer our lives to the LORD, as dedicate ourslives to him a living sacracice - recognize only Christ fina and fnished sin offering on the Cross can atone, and only sacrfice that remains like this meal with the LORD, as we livie in fellowship with HIm.
This is what Christ is talkinga bout that he who holds on to his own life will lose , but he who loses his life for my sake and gthe gospel will find it. It is what means when it says:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
It is what Keith Green sang about: A make my life a prayer to you, I want to do what you want me do, no empty words and no white lies, no token prayers, no comporomise … It is what means when it says all Christains are now priests offering sacrafices - but they are spiritual not literal ones, of a whoel life lived before and evoted to God in Christ:
you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
It is what means when it says all Christains are now priests offering sacrafices - but they are spiritual not literal ones, of a whoel life lived before and evoted to God in Christ:
you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
And the same goes for the freewill or fellowship offerings, not for atonement but thankfulness, and worship and communion!
ii. But look who this is for: For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the Lord.
For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the Lord.
Do you get this, one law for the foreign born who came out of Egypt who want to worship and lagin themselves ot the LROD< and the same way for the ISrael who choses to walk by faiht. Sometimes we think just Israelites out there. But just like in the so called conquest of the land, it wasn’t a mass genocide, there were forgeigners who identitidfied with Israel and the LORD, new identity with them, so too alreay in the desert we saw with Hobab, there were foreign born - not treated as second class outsiders, but by faith - one with them. And at the same time, lots of tribes moving through the desert, and Israelites who pulled the rip cordeed said I’m not living by faith done with this. But for geneations to come. Not a single native born Israelite yet, all of them like foreigners soujourners int he land - and when succsseive gerneation get in the land, natie born with the new sjourners - one law - expereince the grace, but then live devoted to the LORD and fellowhsi ping with him. That’s what is interesting about that word stranger - translated in the Gk OT as proselyte , one who is a learner and indentitiying with THE LORD. Here no Israelites native to the land - remember come in same way - as stranger and sojourner - recive by grace
iii. But then in this gracious intstruction for pepole getting back in the race, for the generatoin of faith, one further instruction about this life of comjunion fellowship and devotion to the LORD: We get that special intorduction formaul, and God says, one more offering that shows your faith must mark your lives:
Of the first of your dough you shall present a loaf as a contribution; like a contribution from the threshing floor, so shall you present it.
Of the first of your dough you shall present a loaf as a contribution; like a contribution from the threshing floor, so shall you present it.
When you give ot the LORD do you understand yes your time, talents for God’s causes in your life. But inaddition to regular tithe. This dough offering, represents the material fruit, the blessings of a living that God grants you, that giving from the first fruits, beforeyou know how the rest of the harvest is going to go. That shows how a peson is living by faith - understand you provide this, and its yours, give a protion not only of my harvest at the beginning, but what I make from it - this bread from the best and first and earlist for you LORD. It’s like God is saying: the way you continue in covenant with me is devoting all you hae to me, all the land and itsf ruit, all the stuff of your dialy life - consecrate in service to me and thaksgiving.
One of the few possessions my dad brought over from HOlland when he came by hisemlf in 1954 on the Groet Vear at the age of nineteen was some Keiviets Eggs. Hunt for these, but the big honour was to find the first one - present it in honour to Mayor, even the Queen. That’s how we are to think of that word PRESENT a contribution to the LORD. Age of consumer religion - purchasing, or membership fee for services provided NO - like the whole offering, recognition, and presentation to GOD< act of worship = HONOUR GOD A Creator, but not only Creator, one who Redeemed Me, Equppped ME, Not better, more deserving - but HIs hand of mercy grace is why I have any fruit in my life - race through the fields of my life, my work, my home entertainment, I presen this portion symbol that Livig for YOU! It’s interesting even after the 2nd temple in 70AD was destoryed, Jews practiced this by throwing a handful of dough inotht efire, saying every hearth is an altar and every kitchen a house of God.
For the ministry you set up among us, for you rkingdom cause and those who labour in it. Do you nerstand taht symbol of the fruit of th eland - that God would make us fruitful if walking by faith take the land - that is what he is encouraging the generation of faith to live by.
But then we see that it is not just faith that reveals you are part of the second generation but also repentance instead of presumption.
B. Live by Repentance for all Known Sin, not Presumption that Reviles God.
After the commands about offerings comes this middle section, not so much about offerings but about what to do about sin. I always say that the greatest thing about a Christain marriage , and the thing that makes it different, and should result in way more realism, humility, but also growth and real potetntial - is that Christian marriage knows how to deal with sin. Not just to say sorry and move on, but real forgiveness and real repentance. No no it’s not ok, I really jhurt you, I want to aknowledge that, I need to ask you forgive me, can we go on together - shooting for that oneness and flourishihng of each other, in spite of that sin weakness. I care enogh to deal with sin. Well, that first generation cared so little about sin, that after they refused to go into the proimsed land, they also refused to listen to God when he said turn arouhnd, you’ve got more learning to do, more wildeness experinece and testing trail to learn how to wlak with Me before ready for the land. And they march up anyways. And while no one but those ten spies died, now all those utterly defeated. And it left a big question mark about whether God and Israel just given up on entering the land and the purpose of the journey to be a holy people of God in this world - that would bless teh antions! Well, this passage is about the difference between two kinds of sin. It is an argument fronm lesser to greater. And this pause in the story calls out for you to stop and ask -how am I dealing with sin in my life, what types of sin do I fall into. By faith do I also God’s purpose in my journey to holiness?
But if you sin unintentionally, and do not observe all these commandments that the Lord has spoken to Moses,
“But if you sin unintentionally, and do not observe all these commandments that the Lord has spoken to Moses,
This first type of sinning are not mistakes that we have no responsibility for - even in our law system, understand igronace of law is no justification or release from guit of consquences. But our law does make a differnce between intential premdidtated murder for instance, and unintentional manslaughter - sometimes accident, someties wreckless, but not intended and done with malice and forethought! If I didn’t know the person turning left never has the right of way to theo person going straight through - still guilty and consequences. But the LORD is giving us two categories of sin, that we are to discern between. One is unintentional in the sense that it is sin that we fall into that we don’t with great deliberation fall into , and intentionally do that sin because we want to slight the living God, and we are doing it in full knowledge taht we are thwarting HIs good will for our lives and reltionahsip and our relationship with Him. Someone pictured like a toddler at dinner - not going to wait to say thank you in prayer for the food, grabbing nd grabbing, and someone says what’s the big deal Or in a shopping mall, all been there, little 3 year old is going to run the show. What’s the big deal, not make mountain out of molehill - but if that heart of defiance is there - that’s an intentional high handed sin and in different category. IN the earlier laws examples of this given - sometimes ignorance, other ties some ritual cleansing, or traveling not abel to get to Passover, but in the NT see Jesus saying, not just the outward act but the inward motivation is what is a tthe heart of sin. We read that about lust, and anger, being the heart of adultery and murder. Other person says, picture a father saying to son - jst sit dwon there and sit still, and kid sits down - but inside saying, I may be sitting on the outside but on the inside I’m still standing and running. And this section says, when you have sinn in yoour life - becomes known in comhity or as an indivdual deal with it by the sin offering, confess, claim cleansing, repent of it and whetehr as community v.21 or as indindiaul look what happens:
And the priest shall make atonement before the Lord for the person who makes a mistake, when he sins unintentionally, to make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.
SO foten read for our words of assurance, but if anyone does sin -we have a phigh preist, and blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrightouesness.
No today I am not asking if you have a Christian marriage. But do you have a Christain life, do you know how to deal with sin, in ongoing way - are yo a person who keeps short accounts with your sin, don’t despair even inf same ones. Indwelling sin hard to apply power that broke the dominoin of sin in believers life. Pull out one weed and two more popl up when feel so proud. speaks of this dynamic in the Christain’s life after conversion so clearly. And the indwelling sin is not a sign that e are not saved, but that we are being sanctified and its a battle in which we got to contiuraklly run tho the Crosss, and Free from the condmenation lives like .
But now comes a most dire warning. There is a difference bewteen a Crhhistain falling into sin, even the same sin and fighting against it, and a real hypocrite and play actor in God’s house, who hasn’t really closed with the LORD and taken hold of the atonement the LAmb of God provides, and doesn’t really have any response of repenetnance of finding life and dvoting life in response to God. That is not just sin that remains against our will. That is living in sin. As
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
The LORD in wants us to pause and see the sin that keeps you out of the Promised Land and brings ultimate death is not indwelling, unintentional sin, but high handed sin. That’s the idiom for usig all your strength and summoning every power of your will, to rise up and act. It’s used of the Lord raising his hand to deliver in most deliberate and powerful way. It is used in an opposite way of Pharoah raising his hand against the LORD, of Hardening his heart to the LORD and stobbornly and eliberatly sinning against him
But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from among his people.
s 15:30 ESVBut the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from among his people.
But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from among his people.
In a word this defiant, settled, living in sin. That is the sin of presumption, and there is no sacrfice of sin that can be made for such a person, unless they have a change of heart. Look at the motivation of this kind of sin:
Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him
Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.”
The emphasis at the begining of unintential sin, was that it was against all the covenant, the commands,the promises, the set up of the commands of Moses for gracious covenant of life with God. This person says in his heart I don’t care about that coveannt relationship, that coveanenat set up, don’t really care about hte blessings or the punishments, I can sin and so what? And this is called despising the word of the LORD - as eaxlted as HIs name (Ps ), represents his actions and character that His Word - despise the Creator and Redeemer in this kind of unrepentant high handed sin. And the result is cut off among HIs people. Like those Israelite salnderous spies, or those foreign rabble who unlike other of their counttry maen didn’t join Israel in heart. ONly one way into the promised land for Israel and foreigner, and only one thing that keep s you out. This question of faith and repentance or high handed, rebellion to God and unrepentant sin.
And though this isi the most horrific part of our text, heart breaking, it isn’t the most surprising, this example of highhanded sin. The same thing happened to him as those 10 spies who died in the plague, though the rest of the nation even those who heeded there advice live on. And you say- what execution, captial punshment for playing with sticks and fire on Lord’s Day? Gotta be kidding, a bit of overkill don’t you think. Why is it this sin held up as an example of ungreateful despising of teh LROD and HIs Word. Can’t really feel this in Candaa anymore. But there was a day that commercial trucks not allowed to rumnble until 5pm, businness open on Monday need thosse goods to get going. And if you saw a truck ratre sight, or still today you hear construction equipment on Snday backing up stirring up dust, at 1am - no that guy is spurning the law or on Sunday for that matter. But you go to Istrael - no cars on the roads at all, all shops closed. And imagine you spurning all their laws - great big band, and jugglers, and grand opening to draw all the neighbours - you are spurning that cluture and their religion.
Well the Sabbath rest for Israel, established in Creation, in existence before the Exodus, but re-established afte rthe exodus, the LORD with absolute clarity - said this resting in 1 and 7, this gathering with family, frined,s hourhsoeld, with the nations, this worship - it is a sign of the covenant, perpetually until Messiah returns! . And this guy, not unintentionally and not forgetting about God’s law and God’s desire for the day - this guy, seeing all of Israel resting and worshipping, ceasing from their work - says forget about it - I’ll do what I well please , It’s my day and forget about the Lord and HIs community of faith and His intent for what true rest and dleight and commyinon with Him is about. Eating a single piece of fruit from a forbidden tree not such a big deal in itself either, but just like this sin, the inner rebellin against the graciuos, coveannt making God is the heart of it! The Sabbath like a ring on a married man’s finger, you say have had enough, don’t want this covenant any more - huge high handed statement. And the community knows its wrong, arrest him put himinto cusotdy but are so unsure of what to do next. And teh senence comes - the comunity recognizing this as highhand sin , of treason and rejection f othe coveannt and the OT nation of faith - must cut him and by stoning!
Now that isn’t surprising for scorning the living God in settled deliberate way with no repetnance. Seen this already, but it is so sybmolic. And thought the Sabbath day has changed with the comiong of Christ, its the Lord’s Day, and though their is no national law about the Christain Sabbat in our land, nor is their phsyical consequences for a church member who persistently and hgihhandedly lives unrepenantanty - saying I don’t care baout God’s coveannt. You know what the heart of the Sabbath is both Jewish and Chrsitain, it is a day to remember our covenant relatinsip bewteen God and His poeoe , its the ultaimte example of God dleivering HIs people from slavery of Egypt, and for the Christain the ulitamte example of Christ finishing the work , rising up and the day is changed to the resting that His resurrectino secures!
Though our battle is spiritual battle, don’t think for a moement that God doesn’t still spell out ulitimate conquences for those who live in hgh handed sin, despising His Word and His Works commemeroated in this sign of his love for us!
Do you remember and the church Corinth - has wickedness, unrepentant wickedness that is wrost than the cutlure around them, - Paul says, this guy, who has taken his father wife for his own wife, his step-mother - and refuses to repent - cut off membership! Not a person strugglihg with sin, this a person sinning high handedy and after repeated attemps - persists, - and that response to people who take the name of God aprt of his community of faiht, but whether born into it, or recently joined, if they won’t live by faith and repentance - symbolic act of dis-fellowshipping, ex-communicating - the ulitmate step after repeated and long attemptes of disciplsehip faikl - that’s a necessary sign - designed to wak w that person up - called turning voer to Staan - so feel you’re out of step with God and ultimately not just out of the church now, out of mercy and grace o God in the end. Designed to bring an awkaening to turn to the LRD and grace! Our God is a holy God and he loves us as we are, but he loves us to much to leave us as we are!
This chapter is all about his surprising goodness, that fruithfulness for those who live devoted to him and with repeantnce, but its is also a reminder that He is holy and we can only live with Him by faith and repentance. And it only makes sense, remeber He is liek a nuclear reactor, what give slife and pwoer to the whole camp, but there is a way to live closse a nuclear reascotr - with the faiht and repsentance necessary for him to be in centre, and there is a way to be by a nucleer reacor that resuls in death , and hell.
And this why this pause so focused on the second generation of faith, isn ont just about instruction and a warning example, but even more helpfully about a wonderful memory tool to keep us journeying by faith and repentance.
C. Believers, Touch Their Blue Tassel Memento & Remember
In the ANE wonderful snails, so much bigger than ours, and give a violet/blue dye. So expensive. And it would seem this is how the covering of over the mercy seat, and the ark of the covenant, shrouded in holiness and blue. This also was the colour on the priests garb. A blue bood in most cultures is what its royalty. And what God is doing for this generation that must learn to wak by faith and repentance is not an equalization of everyone like communism. It’s an elevation fo every single Israelite and soujourner who will live by faith! Evelvated how? That blue the holiness of God’s presence, the role as intercssors as preists of God, the royalty of bleionging to God’s family wiht all its priveleges, power, and love - that is igven to the genreation who will live by faith, and every single living member of it. Just like all the other outward signs that God uses to show HIs covenant, no poiwer in themselves, but their ouerc,othying, like a plaid, four corners have this rope, various threads look llike a blue stem, and the flower of life above it. And intertwined together eventually the Jews understadning the puroise would knot them even 612 times, the number of OT laws in here. ANd God says, you make these why?
And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.
And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.
The spies looked at, and you and I are to look at God’s word in the same way. But what do our hearts follow after, often determined by what your looking at - just review your goodle search history, tape record what you day dream about - other people , possision, your work - and our heart as God describes it here, is like a follish young man giving into distorted desire for pleasure, treat God’s gifts like sex-bject go whoring after prostitutes. God says, not the way my people are going to treat anything God’s created, no, faith and repentance, Graciuosly given you my commands as well as my gospel. Saved by my sacrfice bythe gospel, but sanctified and live by the cgospel empowering to do my good commands.
That was the intent behind the tassells:
So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.
So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.
Now a Jew living oamong the neighours in Canaan, doing business with the neighbours, they would visibly remmber I belong to God, I have a way of life so good so unique in hi s covenant and law. Now I wonder if you have such a memento in your life, not free to make these symbols up, but your baptism, your communion at this table, to be such a memento that you carry with you spiritually every day. Not your own, triune name of God prnounced over, you, got water of baptism - symbol of a rel washing away of sin, and real rebirth to way of righteousness. You come to this table, - and what’s the major command here. REMEMBER - never simple mental activity - key word - of re-presnting spiritual truth,before you and me - and tehn acting based on those truths. And this is the high point of this critiual pause.
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the Lord your God.”
Fiath and repenance like two wings of a brid, natural result of being born again.
The two great graces essential to a saint in this life are faith and repentance. These are the two wings by which he flees to heaven. - Thomas Watson.
And to those who live by faith and repentance, choose this life htis second generation - yes still mess up in sin, but move forward, and this promises of Grace, I am the God who brought you up - I am your God, Part of the daily prayer Shema - defined a Jew. Paret of the prayer of a Christian. OUr Father - you are mine and I am yours!
