Always giving thanks

Always giving thanks Psalm 100

Intro…One of the challenges of being a pastor for so many years is coming up with “new” stuff for the major holidays.

I have this fear that people are subconsciously “bored” before they get here…”How will the pastor put a new spin on this holiday?”

I suppose Thanksgiving is not quite as bad as Christmas and Easter, but it’s good we are reminded yearly of what is important.

Today and on Thanksgiving, we take time to be extra thankful. Just like Christmas and Easter we should actually be thinking of these things all throughout the year though.

Text: Psalm 100

Here’s a few nuggets from this passage:

v. 1-2 “ Make a joyful noise” is relative to culture.

This Psalm invites all the earth to join the song of praise.

Let’s focus on the fact that we are told to make a joyful noise to the Lord, serve him with gladness and come into his presence with singing.

If those three things are happening, then we need to let it happen! Even if we don’t like the style, format or method.

We can easily get comfortable with “our style” of music, what we are comfortable with, and there is nothing wrong with that!

I’m as guilty as the next person…I will admit I like a certain style of worship music.

Worship videos…

Sanctuary, Cowboy church, reggae, rap etc.

Even today we experienced 3 different styles of worship. For some of us, that was a stretching experience.

But here is something all Christians should have in common,

“Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!”

As Christians, we have so much to be thankful for, in every culture, in every place around the world.

v. 4 Come into God’s presence with thanksgiving and praise.

“Gates and courts”

Sometimes we are actually in a church building/sanctuary where there are gates and courts.

Other times we are enjoying his creation outdoors.

In reality, we are always in God’s gates and courts so let’s not save up all the thanksgiving and praise only for Sunday mornings.

Enter each day with thanksgiving and praise.

v. 3 & 5 Know that God is good and he takes care of us.

This is a fact and should eliminate any questions we have about God’s goodness.

“God is good, all the time.” Let’s say it…

What are the qualities of a good shepherd? (Guides, keeps the sheep from getting lost, protects, gently nudges with the crook,

Most of us would like to think we aren’t dumb like sheep…

We are thanking God for the privilege of being the sheep of his pasture.

In fact, God is so good that his love endures forever and he is faithful to all generations.

Conclusion:

Look at the title: “A Psalm for giving thanks.”

We are thankful to God because we need him.

Well, we are about to eat…

(To hear a podcast of this sermon, please go to www.pacificviewbaptist.com and click on Sermons from the menu on the left.)

New Beginnings Acts 2

Intro: A book, 100 pages long published by the Department of Justice, can be downloaded is a book that no parent wants to read.

The title is When Your Child is Missing.

Key bullet points and action steps are on the cover of the book, like, “You’re not alone,” “Hope is essential,” “Trust your feelings and share them with law enforcement officials,” “Distribute pictures,” “Keep your focus,” “Exercise caution,” and the final exhortation is “Never stop looking.”

The parents of Jacob Wetterling have been searching for him since 1989. They post messages saying, “We’re still searching for you and we will never quit.”

Parents will spare no expense as with resolute passion they search for their missing children.

So does God. God has lost children, people who have gone the wrong direction, lost their bearings, lost their place in this life and lost their vision of the next life.

God initiated a massive, three-phase search and rescue strategy to find his lost children.

The first phase was Israel. God wanted a nation through whom to show his character and to call people back to himself.

The second phase was Jesus Christ. Jesus declared, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

We are lost and Jesus is the way back home. By his death on the cross and his resurrection, we can be reunited to our heavenly Father.

The third phase is the church. We will be looking at the Book of Acts, beginning with Acts 1:8.

Text: Acts 2:42-47

Big Pic: The church is not a museum for saints, it’s a hospital for sinners.

Thankfully, we have a God who continues to pursue us, even when we continue to sin.

The Book of Acts is the second of a two-book set written by Luke.

The Gospel of Luke describes the second phase: God finding his lost children through Jesus Christ.

The Book of Acts, written by Luke and addressed to the same person, Theophilus, as his Gospel, describes the third phase: God finding his lost children through the church. Acts 1:8 is the theme verse of Acts.

How many disciples did Jesus have? (more than 12)

The disciples, 120 of them, (v. 15) wait in Jerusalem as Jesus commanded.

Why Jerusalem? Because the Day of Pentecost is approaching and about a million people will be in Jerusalem.

On the Day of Pentecost, the 120 disciples hear a violent wind and are anointed with tongues of fire as the Holy Spirit is poured out upon them. Acts 2:1-4

The 120 disciples become cross-cultural missionaries, speaking the wonderful works of God in the languages of the world. Acts 2:5-12

The people are rightly so amazed at the miracle of the languages.

The burning question is: “What does this mean?” Acts 2:12

Peter, who had previously denied the Lord, is now filled with the Spirit. He boldly declares the meaning of the events of Pentecost: Jesus is alive and he is Lord. Read Acts 2:14-36

The response? Three thousand respond to Peter’s explanation by repenting, being baptized, and becoming the first people in the birth of the church. Acts 2:37-41

The massive, diverse, multi-cultural crowd of 3000 believers becomes the unified community—the church. (Acts 2:42-47)

God is still finding his lost children and creating a thriving family.

Think about the church throughout the world, so-o diverse, so great!

Amidst the diversity, what keeps us all united? The presence of the Spirit.

There are no singular pronouns in Acts 2:42-27. (re-read emphasizing “they”)

The church is not a collection of saved individuals; it is a community living in the Spirit of God.

Illustration/Application:

There is an Episcopal priest who wears a huge golden cross. To some other pastors, it seemed a bit showy at first. That is, until you hear the story behind it.

Jim served many years in his congregation and when he became bishop, he had to leave the congregation he loved. The congregation loved Jim and donated gold items that could be melted down and molded into a cross. In Jim’s cross were melted wedding bands, a friend’s ring meant for his bride, rings from widows and widowers, golden add-on beads, even some crowns from teeth. Over 242 different contributions made up Jim’s huge, golden cross. Stories of peace and pain were forged into a cross binding them altogether.

The bishop’s cross is a picture of the church. When we hold a hand in the hospital, when a conservative loves a liberal, when a Hispanic loves an Anglo and an Anglo loves an African-American, when the young respect the elderly and elderly love the young, a cross is forged and visible for the world to see.

The new church met from house-to-house, eating meals together and using their homes as places of God’s love. Acts 2:46-47

The church spread into Judea and Samaria as Jesus commanded.

Saul of Tarsus was converted and became a missionary to the nations in the far reaches of the world. Acts 9

Paul wrote many of the books in the NT.

Application:

Did you know that a military general’s command remains in effect until he issues a new command?

Good soldiers follow commands, they don’t stop to think about it.

Jesus issued a command to us and it hasn’t changed…Acts. 1:18

We have a task/command to carry out and that’s how the church grows.

This isn’t a suggestion…

The Resurrection

(To hear a podcast of this sermon, please go to www.pacificviewbaptist.com and click on Sermons from the menu on the left.)

The Resurrection Matthew 27:62-64

Intro: “Christmas in July”…how about “Easter in November?”

Last Sunday, the importance of the cross, today the importance of the resurrection and “Moving from Friday to Sunday.”

“It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming” VIDEO

The first Easter Sunday was so good because the days before had been so bad.

Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion and Easter Sunday the resurrection.

The Saturday in between commemorates desperation. On that Saturday it seems that Christ was totally defeated as his body lay utterly dead in a rock tomb.

The spear had sliced his heart and his tongue had gone silent.

Death was absolute. No one was betting on resurrection.

How could they? No one had ever seen a resurrection before..

Today we’ll see how we can get unstuck from “Saturday mindset” and move into “Sunday mindset.”

Text: Matthew 27:62-64

Big Pic: What a difference a new day can make. In the life of Jesus, Saturday seemed hopeless, but Sunday was glorious. In our lives, any day can seem hopeless. God gives us a new chance everyday to have a glorious life.

Saturday was a no hope, no courage day.

While Jesus’ opponents celebrated his death, his disciples were hiding in fear that they, too, would receive a cross.

The disciples hid behind closed doors in fear.

The disciples did not trust Jesus’ promises of a resurrection.

Mark 9:30-32

The women disciples did not intend to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection body, but to embalm his dead body. Mark 16:1-3

Application: We too can easily get stuck in Saturday, living with a Saturday state of mind—no hope, no courage, no plans, believing that death is the final end.

Not only are we talking about physical death, but the circumstances in your life that seem so hopeless.

Take a minute and think about a situation in your life that is bumming you out…

Everyone dies, but we try to avoid that reality.

We attempt to stay in the land of eternal youth, plastic surgery, botox, exercise, etc. etc.

We brush our teeth, eat good foods, pay our taxes, drive a Chevy….

Famous people who have died?

Love gets buried in a tomb, poetry gets buried in a tomb.

Is this all there is?

If it was, what a gloomy outlook.

Sunday—resurrection day—is a day of eternal love, life and hope.

Mary Magdalene came to Jesus’ tomb stuck in a Saturday state of mind. John 20:11-18

The empty tomb did not take away her despair and grief.

The angels did not take away her despair and grief.

Mary Magdalene, the one Jesus befriended and delivered from demonic oppression, had the sadness of Saturday covering her heart.

She was “stuck in Saturday.”

Jesus, alive from the dead, meets with Mary Magdalene, calling her by name.

Mary thought wrongly that Jesus was the gardener.

When everyone thought Jesus was dead, no one called him “Lord” except one—Mary Magdalene.

Jesus speaks Mary’s name and she realizes that Jesus, her Lord, is alive from the dead.

Application:

Why did Jesus personally appear to Mary Magdalene?

Because that is just the kind of person Jesus is. He is full of mercy and full of compassion.

Are you in a season of darkness?

This could be a good season for you.

During the times we are stuck in Saturday God does not get upset with us.

God is patient with us. Shh, be quiet and listen, Jesus is also calling you by name.

God’s desk calendar in heaven is stuck on Sunday.

God is inviting you to move from a Saturday state of mind into Sunday. The choice is yours.

The Cross: The Hour of Darkness Matthew 27: 32-44

Intro: My bus training…it’s driving me nuts at times….

Constructive criticism…we may hear 10 negative things but if there is one hidden gem, we need to hear it and make those changes.

When we look at the world we can easily see ten problems, but what is the one that causes the other nine?

With all the problems in the world, is there one that causes the others?

Yes! It’s called sin or human nature.

Jesus dealt with the particular problem, the fountainhead of all others, on the cross.

When the problem was addressed, Jesus declared, “It is finished.”

The question comes to us, “What was finished?”

What happened on the cross that makes the cross such a big deal?

As Christians, we emphasize the cross all the time/everywhere.

Text: Matthew 27: 32-44

Big Pic: The cross has more deep meaning than most people realize. It is pivotal in our understanding of human nature as well as the nature of God. Without it, we are hopelessly lost.

The assessment of Jesus’ death on the cross by the religious leaders was correct. Jesus could not both save himself and save us also.

Here were the options: (only 2)

He could save himself and leave us in eternal jeopardy.

He could save us and lose his own life on the cross.

Who can define “algorithm” for me?

“A set of rules for solving a problem in a finite number of steps, as for finding the greatest common divisor.”

The algorithm of God is that God restores life to the world by the death of his Son.

The cross reveals both the holiness of God and the severity of sin.

That God is holy is a foundational truth of the Bible, presented from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation.

Holy means to be set apart, to be unique; God is totally and utterly different.

Our holy God cannot look on evil because our sin absolutely disgusts the holiness of God. Habakkuk 1:13; Revelation 3:15-16.

(“spit out” means “vomit”)

We never hear on the news, “Well, the world’s problem is sin.”

We hear about government, business, education, psychology and sociology. Not a word about sin.

Holy God does not pretend our sin is a mental lapse or condone our sin as simple stubbornness.

God hates sin and cannot turn a blind eye to it.

I know hate is a strong word, but when you think of God’s pure holiness and righteousness, that leaves no room for sin.

God will not compromise his holiness by indulging our sinful behavior.

God’s stern holiness operates from God’s infinite love.

God will both honor these two strong emotions—his fiery holiness and his tender love; God’s holiness and love function together.

I know that is hard to understand. It’s quite the dichotomy.

How can a loving God reject sin and sinful people?

It has to be that way. Imagine if God tolerated our sin.

Just like you want a good fair judge or cop or teacher or parent…

If God were only holy, we would be destroyed; if God were only love, a lack of discipline and correction would destroy us.

We always need to emphasize both sides of God.

God’s holiness and love combine to do something unimaginable: God becomes a human being and saves us from ourselves.

God as human leads a sinless life.

God as human dies on the sinners’ place.

God as Jesus is the only perfect sacrifice for our sins.

This is the great and very important drama of the cross.

Matthew 27:45-54; John 19:28-30

Jesus was forsaken by his heavenly father so that we might be forgiven and received by a holy God—this is the beauty of the cross.

Jesus became sin as all the sins of the world were placed by God on Jesus.

The sinless righteousness of Jesus Christ can now be ours.

2 Corinthians 5:21

Application/conclusion:

On August 16, 1987 Northwest Airlines flight 225 crashed on take-off in Detroit, Michigan, killing 155 passengers. Only four year old Cecilia survived, found walking among the wreckage totally unhurt. Just prior to the crash, Cecilia’s mother, Paula, unbuckled her seat belt and knelt in front of Cecilia with her arms wrapped around her daughter for protection. Paula took the devastation of the crash and Cecilia lived. Paula took the fall for her daughter that she loved.

God sent his Son, Jesus, who wrapped his arms around you and me, took the horrible fall with all its sin so that in the midst of the wreckage of this world, we might live.

God is holy and God is love. Our merits do not enhance God’s love and our mistakes do not diminish it.

Will you receive God’s love in Christ for you?

12 ordinary men

Ordinary men doing extraordinary things. Mark 3:13-19

Intro… Superhero’s and comic books have been popular for years. Why? Because of the story line of the average guy doing superhero stuff.

Jesus picked average guys to carry on his ministry. Matt. 4:18-22, 9:9

Text: Mark 3:13-19 12 points today…12 disciples…

Big Pic: If God chose 12 ordinary men to do extraordinary things and to carry on the future of the Christian faith, he can use you and me to accomplish his goals in our lifetime.

As Christians, we are his disciples today.

A follower of the doctrines of a teacher or a school of thought

As his disciples today we need to:

Cast a wide net. Matt. 4:18

Let’s not limit ourselves on who we can and cannot reach for Christ.

Ask God to bring people into your life and share the gospel in a variety of ways.

The wider we throw the net, the more we catch.

Let God do the sifting.

Become fishers of men. Matt. 4:19

Whatever skills you’ve acquired over the years in regards to influencing people, now use that skill for Jesus.

For the disciples, they went from fishing for fish to fishing for men.

Sales, teaching, coaching, organizing block parties, room mom, party planner at work, throwing great parties, etc.

Drop everything and go (immediately). Matt. 4:20

There are times in our lives when we recognize the urgency of something and we drop everything and go.

Fire, earthquake, emergency’s (LilyAnna choking)

When it becomes evident to you that you need to follow Jesus, you need to be willing to drop what seems so important and go.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Follow the master. Matt. 4:20

We need to make sure we are following the right leader.

There are plenty of people out there with great ideas looking for followers.

Any kind of godly leadership is worth following.

Jesus CEO

What a great thing to say to others, “I’m following Jesus…”

God calls those whom he desires. Mark 3:13

We need to listen to God’s calling and come to him.

Like I mentioned earlier about letting God do the sifting…God has predestined who will come to him.

Instead of getting all freaked out over that, let’s assume everyone we come in contact with is predestined…

God has sent us out to preach. Mark 3:14

You may not preach in front of a church every week, but your audience is just as important as those who gather with us on Sunday mornings.

And, our preaching doesn’t always have to be verbal.

Be different, counter cultural, but not to be rebellious, be a rebel for Jesus.

Jesus was a rebel.

He helped people think about life in a different way.

When we live moral, godly lives, we are “rebelling” against societal norms.

Leave a legacy.

When you look up “disciple” in the dictionary… “one of the 12 personal followers of Christ.

Any other professed follower of Christ.

What do you want to go down in history for?

Sell out for Jesus.

He/she’s a sell-out…normally not a good thing to be known for.

“Jesus freak” DC Talc

Mark 12:30 “Love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.”

Be willing to give your life for the cause.

Most of the disciples died for their belief in Jesus.

World Mag. Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani

Here’s some of the things these ordinary men/disciples accomplished because they were willing to drop everything and follow Jesus:

Andrew: preached to the Scythians [modern day Georgia] and Thracians [modern day Bulgaria], and was crucified, suspended on an olive tree.

Bartholomew: preached in India the Gospel according to Matthew, and was crucified with his head downward.

James, Son of Alphaeus: “ When preaching in Jerusalem, was stoned to death by the Jews, and was buried there beside the temple.

James, Son of Zebedee: The brother of John, the disciple "that Jesus loved".

According to the Book of Acts in the New Testament, James was killed by Herod:

Act 12:1-2 And at that time Herod the king threw on his hands to oppress some of those of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

John, brother of James and son of Zebedee: John was one of the few disciples that did not die a cruel death, but of "old age".

John was banished by Domitian to the Isle of Patmos, and later died in Ephesus

Matthew: Matthew put together the oracles [of the Lord] in the Hebrew language, and each one interpreted them as best he could."

Simon/Peter :

Peter and Paul founded the Church in Rome:

Peter was put to death under Nero in Rome:

It is, therefore, recorded that Paul was beheaded in Rome itself, and that Peter likewise was crucified under Nero. This account of Peter and Paul is substantiated by the fact that their names are preserved in the cemeteries of that place even to the present day.

(Paul was a Roman citizen and couldn’t be crucified but got an "easier" death sentence)

Philip: Philip preached and was executed in what today is eastern Turkey:

Philip preached in Phrygia, and was crucified in Hierapolis with his head downward in the time of Domitian, and was buried there.

Simon the Zealot: Simon the Zealot was the second Bishop of Jerusalem.

Thaddaeus son of James: preached to the people of Edessa, and to all Mesopotamia, and fell asleep at Berytus, and was buried there.

Thomas: An active missionary, he met his fate in India:

And Thomas preached, he was thrust through in the four members of his body with a spear and was buried there.

Judas: We all know what happened to him...

Most of these guys had things happen to them that will never happen to us.

Yet so many people today are afraid to be identified as followers of Jesus or Christians.

Remember, once you become a Christian you are a disciple of Christ and need to represent him accurately to the world.

Who is Jesus?

Who is Jesus? Mark 8:27-30

Caesarea Philippi: 25 mi. north of the sea of Galilee, once the center worship of Ba’al and eventually the Greek god Pan (Pantheism or Pantheist) and then of Caesar who was worshipped as a god.

Syrian gods were also worshiped in the surrounding village.

It is in this cross-section of ancient religions that Jesus asked his followers, “Who do the people say that I am?

Many different answers were given to Jesus by the disciples.

Some people thought Jesus was John the Baptist alive from the dead. Others thought Jesus was Elijah. Still others said Jesus was one of the great Old Testament prophets like Jeremiah, for example.

Jesus, then, asked the disciples directly, “Now, who do you say that I am?” Peter answered first, saying, “You are the Messiah, the Son of God.” The question reverberates through history about Jesus: “Who is this guy?"

Peter, at Jesus’ bidding, walked on water. Peter helped feed over 5000 people. He saw Jesus whip the animals out of the Temple and chase out the money-changers. “Who is this guy?”

Every thoughtful person has to raise and answer this question. Just as in Jesus’ day, there were various popular answers, so there are many answers in our own time.

In The Story, let’s consider some of the answers to the question about Jesus, “Who is this guy?"

Jesus is a real nice guy. (the soft, hippie Jesus)

Jesus was a good person who created “the golden rule,” showing he was a friend of the poor, dependable advocate for the down-trodden, said a lot of great things, everybody’s best friend.

Yet, Jesus kept asserting that he was God as he kept referring to himself as “the Son of Man.”

In the Gospels, there are 80 references to “the Son of Man,” a favorite name Jesus used for himself. Daniel 7:13-14, “the Son of Man” is a reference for a divine being.

This phrase combines in one person both human and divine traits. Other clues: “come on the clouds” “given dominion and glory and a kingdom”, “all nations should serve him”

So, Jesus is more than just a “nice guy.”

Jesus kept using “I AM” statements about himself, a title for God in the Old Testament. John 6:35 & 8:12. Jesus claimed to forgive sins, to be greater than Jonah, than Abraham, than Solomon and even greater than John the Baptist, greater than the Temple and the Sabbath.

Since Jesus made these claims, namely to be God, then you’ve got to do something with that…

Was Jesus just a little bit crazy?

Was Jesus was a megalomaniac of the likes of Adolf Hitler or Alexander the Great, speaking and acting crazy or mentally disturbed?

Did he have delusions of grandeur, power and wealth

Many people were deeply devoted to Jesus, not becoming murderers like Hitler or power-hungry like followers of Stalin.

The disciples gave their lives for Jesus.

Jesus won the admiration of men and women and people from all levels of the social structures. No one led and taught people like Jesus. Jesus did not make people into lunatics; he made them better, with common fisherman writing some of the most revered books in human history.

Some people think Jesus was a deceiving fraud.

Oh, he was just a trickster and a huckster, a pied-piper who led blind followers over the cliff to their destruction. Yet, the miracles that Jesus performed (over 36 different ones recorded in the Gospels) demonstrate that he was not a huckster. He never performed miracles to merely draw a crowd and make a name for himself or show off. He never made a profit or took a penny for his miraculous works. One of the greatest testimonies to the veracity of the truth of Jesus Christ is the historically documented explosion of the New Testament church.

So who is Jesus? Jesus Christ God, Son, Savior. (Christian fish)

Jesus did miraculous things with a wonderful heart, showing that he was a tender, compassionate person who befriended and truly helped people.

Peter said it correctly for all of us, “You are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

Jesus went to the cross on a hill named after a human skull, (Golgotha) showing what he thought of us: he loved us deeply and gave his life for us

Application:

Go to your own Caesarea Philippi—a place of many gods: materialism, atheism, secularism, Mormonism, Buddhism, etc. and answer Jesus’ question for yourself, “Who do you say that I am?” Your answer will define your destiny. I’ve said it many times over the years, “You want to cause trouble in a room full of people, mention Jesus.” You can usually mention God and people won’t freak out as much. It’s because of the claims that Jesus made, the things he said about himself. Either he was truly the Lord, or he’s lost his marble. He showed you what he thinks of you by dying on the cross for you and rising from the dead.

Wanderings: Israel on a Road Trip
Numbers and Deuteronomy

Intro: Road trip! “Are we there yet?” Kids getting impatient.
• They say men hate to ask for directions, not me. I hate getting lost. I want to get there without taking a bunch of wrong turns. Maybe I should get a GPS
• In the Bible, Moses had over 3 million kids on a road trip who were complaining and asking “Are we there yet?”
• Leading Israel was like herding cats. In The Story we come to the wanderings of Israel as Moses leads them toward the Promised Land that flowed with milk and honey.

Big Pic: God has our “road trip” all lined out for us. To avoid getting lost, stay in the Word and ask for directions.
• Today we’re going to talk about the “road trip” we are all on and how to stay on course.

Text: Deut. 30:9b-10

Not long into the trip, the people of Israel start complainung to Moses. Numbers 11-12
They complain about general hardships of the trip. Num. 11:1-3
• Stop your whining!
• Same with us. I know life is hard…

They complain about the food (every day it’s “manna”). Num. 11:4-6
• We should be grateful for what we have!
• It’s so easy for us to always want more…

Miriam and Aaron complain about Moses being the driver (leader). Num. 12:1-9 PIC
• Do you know what you are doing/where we are going?
• 12:6-8 is key…
• Follow the God-appointed leaders in your life.




PIC The people of Israel takes a dangerous wrong turn/stall out at Kadesh-barnea. Numbers 13-14
• On their way to the promised land (Canaan), because of their stubbornness and pride, the Israelites start wandering in circles…for 40 years!
• They are so close to the Canaan that they send twelve spies (a man from each tribe) to survey the Promised Land. Num. 13:1-2, 17-20
• Ten spies report about the abundance of the land and also the
giants who live there and conclude “We cannot take the
land.” Num. 13:25-28 & 31-32

• The Israelites lived in and near Kadesh-barnea (PIC) for 40 years. This was the southern end of Canaan, so when the Israelites reached there, they were on the verge of entering the promised land.
• But as a result of the rebellion prompted by the spies negative reports, God punished the people by making them wait 40 years to enter the land. 14:34 PICS 2
• These 10 spies and doubting people represent those people and circumstances that come into our lives and threaten to distract us from what we know is true.
• We can’t listen to those negative messages….

Two spies (Joshua and Caleb) report the same thing, but conclude, “Because God is with us, we can take the land.” Num. 13:30, 14:5-9
• Joshua and Caleb represent everything that we know is right and true.
• That would be godly leaders, the Bible, other mature Christians…we need to listen to the voice of God.
• After Moses urges the people to trust God and take the land, the people rebel and refuse to obey. 14:10-12
• This is such and typical example of human nature. We know what is right, but we let doubt, worry and sin pull us away from what we know is right.
• God makes it very clear to Moses what the consequences will be for the peoples disobedience and lack of faith. Numbers 14:26-34
• Our consequences today may or may not be as severe, but there will be a price to pay for not following God.

PIC Israel’s lack of trust in and disobedience to God is what created this 40 year detour.
• Even the children are punished for their parents’ disobedience. Numbers 14:18
• After 40 years of wandering, they end up where they began—at Kadesh-Barnea.
• This is a classic story of disobedience. Wandering in circles, getting lost, grumbling the whole time, asking for God’s judgment…
• As we continue the road trip that is each of our lives, we need to be careful not to rebel and wander off God’s path for us.
• It may not be a 40 yr. detour in our lives, but if we’re not careful we will give up precious years to our rebellion.

Between Numbers 14 and Deut. 32 we find all kinds of stories and lessons God taught his people as they wandered.
• Even Moses also failed to trust God: Numbers 20:7-13
• God told Moses to speak to the rock and Moses struck it twice. PIC
• As a result of Moses’ disobedience, he is allowed to see the Promised Land, but not allowed to lead the people into it. Deuteronomy 34:1-5
• Finally, the people come around, repent and are forgiven. Deut. 30:1-16

Moses’ Victory Speech/Song at Kadesh-Barnea:
Deuteronomy 32-33
• Moses tells the people that they have a fresh opportunity to trust and obey God who is the divine GPS.
• Moses tells the people that they are not alone—God is with them.

Application:
On our road trip of life, God allows us to drive the car.
That is both a privilege and a curse. PICS 3

There is going to be people in the car with us.
On this “road trip” called life, you need to covenant with this local community to trust and obey God, knowing that God will never lead you into a wrong turn.

Who are the people in your life that are your “backseat/sideseat drivers?” PIC
We need people to tell us when we are getting off course. Look at the map (bible) with us and get us back on course.

It’s called accountability.