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.

Genesis 1-8

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Intro…The beginning of our journey through the story of the Bible is like the beginning of an action-packed movie.
• If you miss the opening minutes of a movie with its fast-paced scenes, you will not understand the rest of the story.
• It is the same with the Bible’s grand Story. The Story opens with “intense action sequences”.
• If the Bible were a movie…
• The creation of the world, animals, humans, The Fall, Cain and Able, the first murder, Noah, the flood…talk about some action!
• These opening chapters of the Bible introduce us to God who is the main character of the Grand Story.

Big Picture: Our universe was created by a personal, loving God who allowed The Fall but had a plan for our salvation from the start.

Text: Genesis 1:1

The Bible Story opens with the account of creation.
• The creation is not an impersonal accident, but the creative purpose of a personal God.
• Big Bang vs. Personal creation.
• If we came from nothing and have no greater purpose for being on this planet, then life can be shallow and meaningless.

Creation is presented poetically and artistically.
• Genesis 1:3 Day 1—Light and Dark
• Genesis 1:6 Day 2—Sky and Water
• Genesis 1:9-13 Day 3—Land and Vegetation
• Genesis 1: 14-19 Day 4—Sun and Moon/stars
• Genesis 1:20-23 Day 5—Birds and Sea creatures
• Genesis 1:24-31 Day 6—Animals and human beings

The story of creation concludes with God’s core passion: human beings.
• God’s passion is people made in His image.
• Genesis 1:26-27…Adam and Eve

• All the beauties of creation are secondary to you. This truth is
a self-esteem builder.
• God’s supreme passion is to be with us at all costs.
• We are God’s highest creation…believe it or not…..I love animals and all…
• We have an enormous responsibility not only to take care of the planet, but animals and each other!

The Bible Story continues with the story of the Fall (Adam and Eve’s rebellion) in Genesis 3.
• Adam and Eve were created with the freedom and power to choose. God will never force his love on anyone. We have to make that choice.
• Next we have the tale of two trees.
• The “tree of life” and the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” present a choice: Genesis 2: 9 and 15-17
• Adam and Eve rebelled against God and ate from the forbidden “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” and God’s vision to be with people was ruined.
• The rest of the Bible is about God’s pursuit to get us back.

The Bible reports the story of sin’s damage to the human race.
• Because Adam and Eve chose a different vision than God’s vision, sin became part of their spiritual DNA and they passed that on to everyone else.
• Instead of getting all freaked out over that…know that this was all part of God’s plan and that he had a remedy to our sin problem…Jesus!

Genesis 3 – 9 show us the consequences of sin.
• Adam and Eve’s relationship with God was strained, pain in childbirth, work the soil, Cain and Able, jealousy, the first murder, punishment, Cain forced to become a fugitive and wonder the earth.


• There was Increased corruption on the earth from Adam to Noah, (about 1600 yrs. and roughly 10 million people) to the point where God’s chooses Noah to build the ark and God does a “do over” of the human race after the judgment of flood waters.
• God regretted that he had made humans…Gen. 6:6
• The flood erased the wicked human race, but did not erase the sin nature from Noah and his family: Genesis 9: 20-23.

The Bible offers a salvation clue even in the midst of the opening story.
• After Adam and Eve sinned and became aware of their nakedness, they made fig leaf clothing to cover their nakedness.
• God took away the fig leaves and covered Adam and Eve with the skins of animals.
• The Clue: For God to restore the vision that human beings are His supreme passion will require the shedding of blood.

Application:
From the creation story we discover the value of all human beings.

God wants to be with you. Think about that. You. God wants to personally be with you.

At great cost to God, God has done everything possible to get you back.

You are valuable. True, lasting self-esteem begins by believing what God says about you.

How we got our Bible

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Intro to “The Story” Heb. 4:12
Intro..
• If you think Genesis is just a band from the ‘80’s . . .
• If you think it was Dr. Dolittle who took two of each animal into a big boat . .
• If you think an epistle is a woman married to an apostle . . .. . . you may need to know more of The Story.

Big Pic: The Bible may seem to be made up of a lot of different, seemingly unrelated stories. But it really is one big, exciting story of God’s love for mankind and His plan for our salvation.

Text: Hebrews 4:12

The Bible can be intimidating… odd names like Jehoshaphat and Nebuchadnezzar. Places you probably never heard of, like Sinai and Samaria.
• The first words found in Genesis 1:1 read: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
• Then, if you turn all the way to the back of the book, Revelation 21:1, you find, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away . . .”
• In the beginning God is creating the heavens and the earth. At the end he is creating a new heaven and a new earth.
• So the big question is this: “What happened between the beginning and the end of the Bible?”
• Through this series, over the next 31 weeks, we will answer that question and uncover the one seamless story of God.

Good things to know about the Bible:
• The Bible was written over a period of 1,500 years by 40 different people (kings, shepherds, scientists, attorneys, an army general, fishermen, priests, and a physician) inspired by God.
• The 66 books of the Bible were written: On three continents, in three languages, on the most controversial subjects, by people who, in most cases, had never met, by authors whose education and background varied greatly.
• Some people think it was merely created by a select few in order to consolidate, gain or maintain power and prestige.
• However, when you consider the adversity faced by the Hebrew people and, later, the persecution suffered by Christians, that couldn’t be true.
• Rather than gaining power or prestige, the early Christians were severely oppressed, while many others were killed – martyred for believing the message of the gospel.

Three key areas regarding the Bible: inspiration, canonization, transmission.

Inspiration
• Is it possible to have an accurately transmitted record that is still just a human invention?
• That's where inspiration comes in. The word "inspire" comes from the Latin, meaning to breathe on or into. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:16, "All Scripture is God-breathed."
• Inspiration means that human writers were inspired by God and moved by the Holy Spirit to record accurately what God wanted them to preserve.
• It does not mean God took control of people where the writer is in a trance-like state.
• It also doesn't mean the writers of the Bible were simply taking dictation.
• But it does mean that their words were divinely inspired and recorded.
• The Bible was written by real people, living in real places, recording real historical events, and also communicating God's real truths.

Canonization
• How did we get the final 66 books? What was the criteria?
• The word canon originated in reference to a measuring reed or standard by which something is measured. In reference to the Bible a canon has to do with genuinely inspired writings.
• Decisions about which books were "in" and which books were "out" in relation to today's Bible were not made by a single group of people at a single point of history.

• This especially relates to the New Testament, as the Old Testament was already accepted and codified in the books accepted by the Jewish people as divinely inspired. The OT canon was not finalized until a few years before the birth of Christ.
• Following the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ around 33 A.D., the young Christian church found itself struggling for survival and, in the process, writing inspired documents that would later become the New Testament.
• The Church was very methodical in reference to the New Testament canon. Several criteria were necessary in order for a writing to be accepted.
• The document in question had to conform to the rule of faith, "conformity between the document and orthodoxy, that is, Christian truth recognized as normative in the churches."
• The document required some sort of apostilicity, "which as a criterion came to include those who were in immediate contact with the apostles or people with a direct connection to Jesus.
• A document's widespread and continuous acceptance and usage by churches everywhere was taken into consideration.
• In the first and second centuries after Christ, many, many writings and epistles were circulating among the Christians. Some of the churches were using books and letters in their services that were definitely spurious. Gradually the need to have a definite list of the inspired Scriptures became apparent.
• In 367 AD Athanasius first provided the complete listing of the 66 books belonging to the canon.
• He distinguished those from other books that were widely circulated and he noted that those 66 books were the ones, and the only ones, universally accepted.
• The point is that the formation of the canon did not come all at once like a thunderbolt, but was the product of centuries of reflection.
• From God to us, the Bible is true, reliable, and inspired.

Transmission:
• “Transmission” relates to how the contents of the Bible were transmitted through history.
• Obviously, if the record of transmission is poor, then the record we have is highly suspect.
• But if the record of transmission is rich, having a variety of manuscript copies for instance, then we can trust the reliability of the record.
• Transmission of the documents through history is astounding.
• There are over 5,300 manuscripts or parts of manuscripts we can examine today. If you count all the early copies of translations of the New Testament, the number skyrockets to over 24,000. This is about 43 times as much as the second most prevalent writing, The Iliad, with only 643.
• Not only do we have thousands of manuscript copies, as well as thousands more fragments or portions of the New Testament, but in comparing the New Testament copies we have today in various languages with those available centuries ago we can see the message remains intact.
• In ancient times, there were diligent Jewish scribes who spent their entire careers copying material. These individuals were very meticulous in regard to providing an exact duplicate of the original document.
• One group of scribes, known as the Masoretes, set its standards much higher than all the other scribes. The Masoretes counted every single letter, word, and verse of the Old Testament in order to preserve its accuracy.
• In 1948, an Arab boy was looking for a lost goat. As most children would, this young boy entertained himself by throwing rocks as he walked. He threw one of those rocks into a small cave, and heard the sound of pottery breaking. Scampering up the hill and into the cave, the boy found some leather scrolls with ancient writing on them.
• Amazingly, he had stumbled across what is known today as the Dead Sea scrolls. Inside the cave were hundreds of scrolls, most likely written by a group of people known as the Essences.
• Throughout history, errors or changes are slight, known as variants, and do not change any central belief of Christianity. When it comes to transmission and translation, then, we can indeed trust the documents.



Conclusion:
Throughout all this, the 66 books maintain harmony with each other.
• Often new concepts on a subject are expressed, but these concepts do not undermine what other Bible writers say on the same subject.
• Ask people who have viewed an identical event to each give a report of what happened. They will differ widely and will virtually always contradict each other in some way.
• The four Gospels do sometimes differ in the way they report the same event, but they complement each other.
• Yet the Bible, penned by 40 writers over a 1,500-year period, reads as if written by one great mind. And, indeed, it was:
• For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21
• The Holy Ghost "moved" them all. He is the real Bible Author.

Think about the last time you had a good book and couldn’t wait to read it.
My hope is that we will approach the Bible that way and get a copy of “The Story.”

Is it wrong to take a job in a bar?

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Frequently avoided questions of the Christian faith
“Is it wrong to take a job in a bar?” Eph. 6:5-9, Col. 3:23

Intro…My years at Bobby McGee’s…
Big Pic: Every job is a ministry for God.
Text: Ephesians 6:5-9

Today’s message is a follow-up from last week about being salt and light in our world and being part of our culture.
• This passage follows the first 4 verses where Paul is talking about healthy family relationships…and that helps us understand better the slaves/masters theme of verses 5-9.

A world about slaves during this Biblical time.
• Slaves comprised about 1/3 of the population of a city like Ephesus.
• They were considered an integral part of the family, not unlike many nanny’s today.
• So, Paul’s instructions to slaves were a natural part of his dealing with family relationships. (see vs. 1-4)
• In both Greek and Roman culture, slaves had limited rights and were subject to exploitation and abuse.
• Paul is not condoning the system of slavery, but instead provides instructions to Christian masters and slaves regarding their relationship to each other in the Lord and how this should be lived out within the bounds of their social and legal culture.
• Slavery eventually died out through the influence of Christianity.
• So…the principles in this passage apply today in terms of the boss/employee relationship, the law etc.

Principles we can take in relation to our jobs.
• We need to work well for our bosses (within reason) because in the big picture we are working for God. (v.5, 6, 7 and 9).
• As long as you have a boss who isn’t a complete tyrant, you gotta go to work and get it done.
• In a recent job interview I had we were talking about how basic good employees are hard to find…
• In whatever job we have, we are missionaries and witnesses for Christ!
• If you’ve been in the church for awhile, sometimes full time ministry positions get put on an unreal pedestal, like that’s a “real” Christian job…I’m here to dispel that myth.
• For me, this is kinda what I do best…

Let’s talk about bartenders for a minute since that’s the title of the sermon.
• This could be a job for the Christian who could handle that atmosphere.
• In reality, our world could use more Christian bartenders…it’s a place where people from all walks of life gather, coming from work, wanting to relax, celebrate an event, watch a game, some come in complete despair…the bartender is the only person who interacts with all of them.
• The bartender is often the promise of acceptance, the hope of forgetfulness.
• What if that bartender were a Christian? How many times a day could he share his life with another person? How many great conversations could he/she have and be a bright light in the darkness?

Not everyone is called into “the ministry” yet all Christians are in “the ministry.”
• These verses give us some specifics on how to do be good employees.
• Sincere heart. A good heart helps you do the right things. You care about people, you’re not selfish etc.
• Not being a people-pleaser. Standing up for what’s right…
• Doing God’s will from our heart. Again, back to the heart. This takes it a step further. You have to ask yourself in every work situation, can I do _____________ and stay within God’s will?
• Rendering service with good will (being a good employee).

Ok so let’s say your kids grow up and take a job in an industry you aren’t exactly comfortable with?
• PIC Parents, can we love and accept our kids if they choose work that we may not necessarily agree with and even pray for them and encourage them to be creative in how they share Jesus in that work?
• In reality, working in a Starbucks, hospital, school, construction etc. gives the average Christian way more contact with non-Christians that someone “in ministry.”
• We need to be everywhere for the cause of Christ.
• As an employee of ______________ are you ethical, godly, righteous and a good worker? Is your work sacred?
• What industries have the greatest need for Christian influence?

Colossians 3:23-24, Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

• V. 8 God will reward us (not sure exactly how) for doing good.
• Selfless service is not ignored or forgotten by God. There is no discrimination with God. He will reward every faithful servant equally.
V.9. There is even a word to bosses. Stop threatening knowing that even you work for God.
• At the time, Masters had the power of life and death over their slaves. Beatings, imprisonment or sale into harsher servitude were other punishments.
• The duty of master or bosses in all authority is to do good to those in submission and not take advantage of their authority.
• Both the bosses and the workers will be judged by God.

Conclusion:
Growing up and choosing a career is one of the biggest decisions we make in life. Some of us work one career, some have many.
Unless you work someplace that is clearly unethical, unbiblical and ungodly, I encourage you to find work in a field you enjoy and then look for ways to live out your faith within that career.

As a Christian, am I suppossed to hate the world?

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Frequently avoided questions of the Christian faith: “Do I have to hate the world?”

Matthew 5:13-16 Intro… NOTW (John 15:19)

• On one hand, we are not of this world and our thoughts should be towards God, heaven, living godly etc.
• Yet on the other hand most of us will have 70-80 years on this world and we’ve got a call from God to make a difference while we’re here.

Big Pic: When it comes to engaging with culture outside of church, you gotta know your strengths and weaknesses.

Text: Matthew 5:13-16

v. 13 Salt adds flavor and makes things taste better.
• Unsalted tortilla chips or sunflower seeds…just not the same.
• Salt is also a preservative…
• When any seasoning loses flavor, it has no value. If we don’t make any effort to reach the world around us, then we are of little value to God.
• Are we willing to be friends with people even if they don’t come to Christ on our time frame?
• Are we friends with non-Christians just to be friends or do we have an agenda? I think it needs to start out on the friendship level and from there we look for opportunities to share our faith.
• Yet, if we are too much like the world, we are worthless.
• Just like good seasoning brings out the best flavor in food, we should affect others positively.
• As Christians we can add a flavor of Jesus and his love to this world.

v. 14-16 Light in the darkness is an obvious analogy.
• Picture a city set on a hill at night. Its light can be seen for miles.
• Just think about how welcome a good light is in a dark, scary situation. (Micah and Lily being scared to go to the bathroom…)
• The hope that Jesus offers to a dark and scary world is just as bright.
• The typical lamp in a Jewish home was fairly small and placed on a stand to give it maximum illumination.
• When you think of yourself as a light for Jesus, what is the stand you can be on for maximum illumination?
Where can you be most effective in reaching others for Christ?

• How do we shine the light of Jesus? Through good works.
• Article from World Magazine..

• Example….Teacher appreciation etc. 3 churches, gives glory to God…
• We have the light of Jesus and just as it makes no sense to hide a light under a basket when it’s needed, we don’t need to hide our faith.

How do we hide our faith?
• Being quite when we should speak
• Going along with the crowd.
• Denying the light
• Letting our sin dim the light.
• Not explaining our light to others.
• Ignoring the needs of others.

We need to be a beacon of truth, “let your light shine before others.”

• Choose wisely when you go into the dark places and shine that light. • Make sure it’s something you can handle…
John 17:13-19

• Most Christians know that we’re not supposed to hate the world outside the church, yet many Christians are at the very least ambivalent about the world around them, and some definitely harbor a hostility that comes close to hatred.

• If we all run from popular culture, what will happen to those places we vacate? If Christians withdraw completely from popular culture, that can prevent non-Christians from ever seeing a real Christian. Then they are stuck with only images of Christians from the media. Do we want that?

"Roaring Lambs" written by Bob Briner in 1995
• This book focuses on our calling to fulfill the Lord's commission; specifically by being salt and light in our culture. Briner firmly but lovingly condemns the "ghetto" that many Christians have created for themselves by withdrawing into their own subculture.
• He states: "We feel we are making a difference because we are so important to ourselves. We have created a phenomenal subculture with our own media, entertainment, educational system, and political hierarchy so that we have a sense that we're doing a lot. But what we've really done is create a ghetto that is easily dismissed by the rest of society."
• "Culturally, we are lambs. Meek, lowly, easily dismissed cuddly creatures that are fun to watch but never a threat to the status quo."
• We must engage in the discourse of our culture. Christians must involve themselves in the culture shaping arenas of art, entertainment, the media and education. In short: "It is time for the lambs to roar."

Now that is true, but we have to use discernment.
• We can’t stroll through popular culture embracing everything and criticizing nothing and we don’t need to defend all art and entertainment, but the image of God in human creativity and imagination was not completely defaced by the fall.
• We need to have critical engagement with the culture, studying art, music or movies to see the work of God.
• We need to ask a lot of questions, interrogate popular culture, discern what God is doing and determine where and how participation will be most effective.
• We need to be committed to love and mercy as well as holiness and righteousness. It is important in the text to define “world.”

• 1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.”

• It helps if you think about the hesitancy to say “I love you” in a relationship until you are both really ready for that.
• I “love” TV, sometimes, I “love” certain movies, music etc.
• The “world” translates several different Greek words, which range in meaning from universe to planet Earth to inhabitants of the Earth to a time period or age.

• So we can’t just indentify “world” with culture or pop culture. That can be misleading and harmful.

• Most likely, John was talking about specific pitfalls within every culture.

Examples: • Money is neither evil or good, but the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. 1 Tim. 6:10
• Dancing, drinking, TV, movies, music, clothing, tattoos etc.
• These all can either be good or bad depending on the situation.
• We always want to consider the company we are in.
• We don’t want to cause a weaker brother or sister to stumble.
• Romans 14:13-21
• Problem is, people that are strong in one area, really like to condemn those in other areas...

If we assume that popular culture is inherently evil and must be avoided, we will miss whatever good God is doing in culture and likely fail to see the evil that is going on within the church. (judgmentalism) Conclusion: Galatians 6:1-5 In our quest to remain pure before God and not be too influenced by the world, we need to know our limitations and be careful not to amputate wounded limbs of the body of Christ (the church) and develop more skill in gently restoring the dislocated members.

Are people basically good?

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Frequently avoided questions of the Christian faith. (Are people basically good?) Do good people go to hell?

Intro…VIDEO of kids fighting…

• I know it sounds nice to say that we are all basically good, but everyone of us was born selfish. It is our natural tendency to sin.

Big Picture: Many present day philosophies and worldviews claim that people are basically good and that bad or immoral behavior is the exception. The Bible states quite the opposite - that people are selfish and sinful as soon as they are able to express that kind of behavior. Because of this fact, people need a Savior in order to be acceptable to God. In contrast, the implication of the "people are good" worldview is that good people don't need a Savior.

• I know that not everyone commits human atrocities; however, we see examples of it every day and throughout history.
• We can all think of numerous examples of how humans have mistreated each other since the beginning of time.
• And it all started with Adam and Eve…

Text: Genesis 3:1-13

Nugs from this passage and how they relate to the human condition:
v.1 Satan is crafty, deceitful and tricky.
• He’s always trying to get us to think we are better than we really are, that what we are doing “at least isn’t as bad as what he is doing.”
• Look at how he fooled Adam and Eve, v. 2
• “Did God actually say…” “Oh it will be ok, surely you won’t die…” completely contradicting God. Gen. 2:9, 15-16 v. 6-7

Sin entered the world through Adam and Eve and is passed down to each generation.
• Now before you get all freaked out over that…remember that there is a way out of the sin problem.
• Sin entering the world wasn’t a surprise to God…
• He had a plan all along for our redemption/making things right with God…Jesus.
• It’s really not worth trying to figure out why we have to deal with sin. That’s the way it is and there is a solution!

v. 12-13 Adam and Eve started sinning right away! (just like you and I would have)
• Shifting the blame, pointing fingers…just like little kids.
• He made me do it! It’s her fault!
• They are a fair representation of the human race.
• We all have the propensity to sin and make wrong choices.

For example:
• Marriage? A verbal promise is not enough; we need a contract.
• Home security? Doors are not enough; we have to lock and bolt them. Security systems etc.
• Riding the Coaster from Encinitas to Downtown? The payment of fares is not enough; tickets have to be issued, inspected and collected.
• Police officers? Law and order is not enough; we need the police to enforce them.
• Basketball referees calling technical fouls? We’d argue all day if there weren’t officials.
• All this is due to man's sin. We cannot trust each other. We need protection against one another. It is a terrible indictment of human nature."

But what about the person I know who is so-o nice and has never hurt anyone and in fact does more for people and the community than most Christians I know?
• Gandhi, (Hindu) Mother Theresa, (Catholic) or how about your neighbor.
• Someone like Gandhi or Mother Theresa acted more like a Christian than many Christians we know.

It all comes down to which scale of goodness you are using.
• On man’s scale of goodness, it’s not too hard to be good.
• What does it mean to be good according to human standards?
• On God’s scale, since he is perfect and holy and we’re not, we are not good. That’s just the way it is…

• According to God’s standards, we all need to repent and turn to God.
• “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

• Now that doesn’t mean we are awful, wicked people 24/7…
• But, sin entered the world through Adam and Eve and we will have to fight the tendency to sin our entire lives.

• (Isaiah 64:6) "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."

Do good people go to Hell? Do bad people go to heaven? Yes and No.
• There will be “good” people who will not end up in heaven.
• There will be “bad” people who end up in heaven…because of God’s mercy.

We may not be able to fully comprehend that, but it’s true.
• There is a tricky balance between someone who said the “sinners prayer,” and may or may not be saved and the moral “good” person who lives like Jesus.

• What is the real proof of the Christian life? Someone who lives like Jesus.

• We don’t receive Jesus with words alone. Jesus doesn’t become our “Lord and Savior” simple because we refer to him in those terms.

• Becoming a disciple of Jesus is a process that starts with acknowledging a need for God, recognizing your sinful nature, repenting of that and accepting Christ.


All you have to do is study the bible to see numerous examples of God’s justice and his mercy.
• Deut. 9:19 I feared the anger and wrath of the Lord, for he was angry enough with you to destroy you. But again the Lord listened to me.
• Isaiah 51:4-5 “Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations. My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations.
• Isaiah 30:18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
• Psalm 33:5 “The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.”

We HAVE to emphasize both sides of God. They are equally important!
• I want to worship and serve a God who is wholly righteous and demands our best.
• It’s good when we recognize our need of God, where we fall short and to be humbled in his presence.

• 1 Tim. 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”

Conclusion: In a trial, in a small town the prosecuting attorney called his first witness, a grandmotherly, elder woman. He approached her and asked, “Mrs. Jones, do you know me?” “Why yes, I do know you Mr. Williams. I’ve known you since you were a boy, and frankly, you’ve been a big disappointment to me. You lie, cheat on your wife, manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you are a big shot when you haven’t the brains to realize you’ll never amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher.” The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, “Mrs. Jones, do you know the defense attorney?” She again replied, “Why yes I do. I’ve known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster too. He’s lazy, bigoted and has a drinking problem. He can’t maintain a normal relationship with anyone and his law practice is one of the worst in the state. Not to mention he cheated on his wife with three different women. One of them was your wife. The defense attorney nearly died. The judge asked both counselors to approach the bench and said in a very quiet voice, “If either of you two idiots asks her is she knows me, I’ll send you both to the electric chair.”

Are Christians the morality police?

(to listen to a podcast of this sermon, please visit www.pacificviewbaptist.com and click on "sermons" from the menu on the left.)

Frequently avoided questions of the Christian faith.
“Are Christians the morality police?” John 4:7-26

Intro…Christine’s blog. “thoughts on church.”
• What happens when we encounter people who have a different set of beliefs than us?
• Can we treat them with respect?
• Is it our job to be the morality police?
• Should non-Christians adopt the moral values that apply to Christians?
• How much time are we allowed to spend with a “sinner” before another Christian will accuse you of being too tolerant or compromising?

Big Picture: When Jesus spent time with “sinners” he engaged them in conversation which helped them see their need for God. We would be wise to do the same thing.

Text: John 4:7-26

Jesus sets the example of how we should encounter “sinners.”
v. 4-6 Jesus broke cultural taboos.
• Jesus took the initiative to speak to a Samaritan woman…
• This was a huge break with culture and tradition.
• He spoke to a woman, (from the hated Samaritans) in public.
• This showed Jesus’ willingness to be with sinners, not so much as the “morality police” but as someone who cared about the deeper things in a person’s life.
• Who is someone you could talk to that would be a break with culture and tradition for you?
• I would hope that all of us are having regular conversations with people who don’t share the same religious views.
• We need to think through what language we use, not too much “Christianese.”
• Think about these words in a Christian context and what they mean to us vs. a non-Christian. Judge, preach, convert, crusader, proselytize, missionary, indoctrinate.
• What do you think of when you hear these words?
For many people outside the church, these words mean:
• judge (to determine that someone else is not as good as you are, to point out the faults is someone else while ignoring your own.)
• preach (to talk down to people, telling them what they ought to do)
• convert (to pressure someone to adopt your way of thinking, believing or living)
• crusader (someone who forces with the threat of violence someone else to accept his faith.)
• proselytize (to constantly attempt to either coerce or seduce others into our religion)
• missionary (someone who tries to destroy indigenous cultures in the attempt to Christianize or civilize those cultures)
• indoctrinate (to brainwash other people into a system on belief)

One of the reasons the Moral Majority failed to have a lasting influence in U.S. politics is because the true majority of Americans felt the leaders of the Moral Majority exemplified all of most of those characteristics.
• That is what my friend Christine is starting to feel about church…

So how do we communicate the truths of the bible without knocking people over or shoving it down their throats?
• I believe we can look to the example of Jesus in this story.
• Even though this woman had a whole list of stuff she’d done wrong, Jesus got to what was really important.
• (Divorced, been married 5 times, “Living in sin,” most likely a bunch of kids from different fathers, a social outcast, she came at midday to draw water because of her shame. Normally women would come to draw water in the morning or evening when it was cooler. This well was located at a major junction of ancient roads.)
• v. 16 “Go call your husband and come here.” NOT, “You did what?”
• It’s almost like Jesus is saying, “Yeah, yeah, I know what you did in the past, let’s talk about the really important stuff, where we go from here.”
• What we need to ask ourselves: “Is it my job to interfere with the process through which God is taking a person, or do we cooperate with God by showing them love and acceptance for who they are in that moment?
• When we look at all the things this woman at the well had done wrong, these are the kinds of lists we come up with for people and then stick them in certain categories. And if we’re not careful, that’s when we’re tempted to be the morality police.
• If all we are is the morality police and stay away from those we disagree with, than we won’t be nearly as effective as Jesus was when he associated and ate with sinners.

v. 9 Jesus spoke with someone who was despised. (Most Jews hated Samaritans.)
• Samaritans were considered by most Jews to be in a continual state of uncleanness.
• So drinking from this woman’s water jar would make a person unclean, yet that’s exactly what Jesus did.
• The phrase “have no dealings” could also have a more specific meaning of “share use of (things).”
• We need to be comfortable spending time with non-Christians without criticizing their language, habits, behavior, values and morals.
• When dealing with people who have opposing religious views, are we willing to set aside our bias and listen?
• We need to be careful that we don’t make judgments without first establishing rapport and credibility through friendship, conversations and other interactions.
• Spiritual wanderers need to know they are loved rather than judged.

What’s the biblical balance? A little bit of both.
• Eph. 5:11, “Have nothing to do with fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
• John 3:17, “God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
• Yes, God has called us to reveal his salvation to the world, just remember that we too are broken and sinful and need to be transparent.
• If Jesus were in our city tonight, would he be in all the Christian hangouts, or would he be among the sinners?
• Would we recognize him? Would we tell him, “You have no business spending time with “those” people!

v. 13-15 Only Jesus can give us what we really need and quench our thirst.
• Talk about being “culturally relevant”, the analogy with the water was ripe.
• A person’s deepest spiritual need is to know God personally.
• That can only happen through Jesus, the living water.
• GOSPEL

Conclusion: VIDEO “Reverse thinking”

Q & A?