Can God? Series

Can God?

Psalm 78:5-20

Intro

A man named Jack was hiking along a steep cliff one day when he accidentally got too close to the edge and fell. On the way down he grabbed a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. He looked down and to his horror saw that the canyon fell straight down for more than a thousand feet. He couldn’t hand onto the branch forever, and there was no way for him to climb up the steep wall of the cliff.

So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that somebody passing by would hear him and lower a rope or something. “HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? HELP!” He yelled for hours, but no one heard him. He was about to give up when he heard a voice.

Jack. Jack. Can you hear me? Yes, yes, I can hear you. I’m down here! I can see you Jack. Are you all right? Yes, but…who are you, and where are you? I am the Lord, Jack. I’m everywhere. The Lord? You mean GOD? That’s Me. God, please help me! I promise – If You’ll get me down from here, I’ll stop sinning, I’ll be a really good person. I’ll serve You for the rest of my life. Easy on the promises Jack. Let’s just get you down from there, and then we can talk. Now, here’s what I want you to do. Listen carefully. I’ll do anything You say, Lord. Just tell me what to do. Okay. Let go of the branch. WHAT? I said to let go of the branch. Just trust Me and let go.

There was a long silence. Finally, Jack yelled, “HELP! HELP! Is there anyone else up there?

Sounds like us sometimes, don’t it? We say we want to serve the Lord and know His will, and then when He tells us what He wants us to do, we often complain at what the Lord is doing. This was Israel’s problem. They were called out of Egypt to follow the Lord by faith. However, they seemed to constantly doubt the power, the promises and the presence of God as they traveled. The entire attitude of their hearts is summed up in the 2 word question they voiced, “Can God?” When they asked this question, they were doubting everything about the Lord. They needed a lesson in trust.

This morning, I realize that we are a lot like Israel. We often ask the question “Can God?” Today, I would like to tell you, and show you from the Scriptures that “God Can!” The God we serve is still the Lord of glory. He is still the King of kings and He is still able to do all the things He has ever been able to do. Notice with me the great truth, from this passage.

I. The Condition of the People

a. They were Faithless (v. 20; 41)

i. Here was a people who called themselves by God’s name.

1. Here was a people who should have trusted the Lord without reservation.

2. Yet, they seemed oblivious to the power of God in their midst.

ii. Isn’t that a lot like the people of the Lord today?

1. Instead of trusting God and living by faith, we worry an we fret.

2. Folks, it doesn’t have to be that way!

3. I want to tell you now, that we have a God in Whom we can trust, without reservation and without fear.

4. Let us resolve to be like Jesus challenged Thomas to be, “Not faithless, but believing.”

b. They were Forgetful (vv. 7-16)

i. The nation of Israel seemed to be unable to remember all the great miracles that God had performed on their behalf.

1. How He had delivered them from Egypt by the plagues.

2. How He had parted the Red Sea

3. How He made the waters of Mara pure.

4. How He had put their enemies on the run.

5. How He had proven Himself to be God and to be all powerful time and again.

6. They were forgetful of the mighty power of God they had witnessed in their lives.

ii. Again, this describes us, doesn’t it?

1. How may times had God come through for you?

2. How many times had he moved mountains, parted the waters in your life?

3. How many times has He lifted the veil of affliction and suffering in your life and allowed the light of His glory to brighten the day for you?

4. How may times has He met the need, done the impossible, and proven Himself to be god for you?

5. And, how many times have we forgotten all about what He did yesterday when the trial of today pops up?

6. My friends, we need to take a look back this morning and remember all the things god has done for you and me.