"Fixation - Looking In All The Wrong Places" Series

Wilderness– Pt.3

“Fixation – Looking In All The Wrong Places”

Ex.16:1-3 – Pastor Nick S. Panico

(Exo 16:1-3 NKJV) And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt. {2} Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. {3} And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

I. Review

A. We are in the third week of our journey through the wilderness

1. If you have not been with us before this Sunday, we have discovered a truth spoken by the apostle Paul in Romans 8:28-29

(Rom 8:28-29) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. {29} For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

B. You should note two things in these two verses – First -We are predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus

1. God has predestined us to be like Jesus – in attitude, in behavior, and eventually in glory

(1 John 3:2-3) Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. {3} And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

C. Secondly - The “all things” in Rom. 8:28 means exactly that “all things”

1. Everything that happens in the life of a believer has the potential to conform us into the image of Jesus

2. God who is a redeemer, can redeem everything and anything that takes place in our lives – if we will allow Him to do so

3. Even the tragic and difficult circumstances of life can be redeemed

D. Our focus has been on the Wilderness experiences of life, and the temptations one confronts during these times of leanness… spiritual dryness… and how they play an important role in our being conformed to the image of the Son of God

1. Two weeks ago we confronted the temptation of fear in the wilderness

a) We discovered that in times when our human effort is not enough to change our circumstances…

b) And fear begins to grip our hearts, we must stand still, and look up, and watch the salvation of the Lord come our way

2. Last week, we confronted the temptation of frustration

a) This time instead of complaining and becoming bitter about the circumstances we find ourselves in…

b) we learned the importance of setting our heart on the pilgrimage and speaking words of faith,…

c) and diligently obeying God – doing the right thing in the wilderness is vital

II. today, we deal with the temptation of fixation

A. to fixate =

1. to direct one’s gaze on

2. to become abnormally attached to persons or things

B. in our text; Ex.16:1 -

(Exo 16:1 NKJV) And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt.

1. It was exactly one month after the children of Israel had left Egypt

2. Egypt was finally out of sight

3. They were far enough away from “shore” that could not see the land

4. The provisions they had left Egypt with were now completely gone

5. The food, the supplies, were now all gone

C. They came to the “Wilderness of Sin”

1. Now, a lot could be said by word association, about the wilderness of Sin, but you should understand that this was a geographic place

2. It was a desert place

3. The land was harsh

4. The soil was rocky, the terrain difficult to pass through

5. You could not farm the land, so it could not produce sustenance for a family, let alone 3 million pilgrims

D. The pressure was on

1. The people were being squeezed again

2. This time it wasn’t the hoof beats of the Egyptian army coming after them…

3. This time it was not that the provision in front of them was bitter and would not satisfy – like the waters at Marah