INTRODUCTION
• CAT HERDING VIDEO
• SLIDE #1
• How many of you remember those road trips when you were a child, or do you remember taking your children on a road trip?
• For me it was the five hour trips to Arma, KS to visit my grandparents and my cousins and my aunt and uncle.
• This was before entertainment systems, iPads, and even eight tracks were available.
• Five hours in a car sitting next to my younger brother was terrible, and to top it off my dad at the time smoked and he would keep the windows rolled up so we could get an early start on our lung cancer.
• AND he would not stop so we could go to the bathroom until he needed to go.
• The whole trip was full of, HE TOUCHED MY SIDE OF THE SEAT, to death threats from my dad because my brother and I would not shut up.
• We would asked the famous question, HOW MANY MORE TOWNS? FOLLOWED BY HOW MUCH FURTHER AND CAN WE STOP TO RIDE THE GO CARTS!
• I am surprised my brother and I were given the opportunity to live to adulthood.
• Well, leading Israel was like herding cats. Many scholars estimate that Moses had over 3 million people he was leading on this road trip who was complaining, whining, and griping continually asking, “ARE WE THERE YET?”
• Road trips with kids were trying because of all the fussing, fighting, and endless questioning.
• Another difficult part of a road trip was taking a wrong turn and getting off track. Back in the day there was no GPS, only a map and a spouse trying to not get car sick while barking out directions.
• Thank God that we have GPS’s today (Global Positioning Satellite) to help us as we travel. When you get off track they can gently re-route you.
• In The Story we have come to the wanderings of Israel as Moses leads them toward the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey with all of Israel in his back seat.
• What would a road trip with a bunch of children be without some good old fashion complaining!
• SLIDE #2
SERMON
I. Israel’s three complaints during the road trip.
• This is going to be a long trip! In the book of Numbers 10:11-13 tells us they are getting ready to move after about 11 months at Mount Sinai.
• SLIDE #3
• Numbers 10:11–13 (NIV) On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle of the covenant law. Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of (PAY RAN) Paran. They set out, this first time, at the LORD’s command through Moses.
• Now I remember when we were planning to go to grandma’s house, there were no thoughts of the five hours in the smoke filled car, it was exciting to go on the road to see grandma and grandpa!
• There was an excitement in the air and I have to think for the nation of Israel they had to be getting a little stir crazy hanging out at the foot of the mountain for over 11 months.
• Well I remember on our five hour trips, that about an hour into it, the fireworks would begin. Seems like with the nation of Israel it did not take long for the complaints from the back seat to begin.
• SLIDE #4
A. The general hardships associated with the trip.
• SLIDE #5
• Numbers 11:1 (NIV) Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.
• Now on our trips when the whining started the death threats and the swinging back hand from dad would start. We were told to be quiet and enjoy the smoke filled car!
• God in response to the complaining made a consuming fire happen outside of the camp basically telling the folks to cut it out, stop the complaining!
• In fairness this was not like riding in a nice car, bus, train, or airplane. They were basically walking!
• SLIDE #6
• You can see on the map about where they were going, Numbers 10:33 set out from the mountain on a three day journey with the Ark of the Covenant before them!
• The complaints were rolling in and when God figuratively gave them a backhand, they cried out to Moses and the fire stopped.
• Do you remember how long a death threat from dad lasted? Not long.
• Look at verses 4-6 of chapter 11
• SLIDE #7
• Numbers 11:4–6 (NIV) 4 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”
• SLIDE #8
B. There were no nice restaurants on the trip.
• The folks were complaining about just eating manna. They wanted MEAT! I am kind of with them on this one.
• Notice they pulled the “WE WERE BETTER IN EGYPT CARD.” THAT had to really get God upset!
• God rightfully sees the complaining as a lack of trust in Him. They were so self-absorbed they longed for the good old days of slavery!
• The people were really throwing a fit about this one, Moses could hear them, family after family whining about this. God got a bit angry with them.
• Moses tells God he is sick of the whining and begs God to kill him. In verse 15 he asks God to PLEASE kill him, he tells God that if He is pleased with Moses to put Moses out of his misery!
• God has response for the people as He had Moses gather the 70 Elders of Israel.
• SLIDE #9
• Numbers 11:19–20 (NIV) You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it—because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?” ’ ”
• Now the final complaint came from Moses family!
• SLIDE #10
C. The brother and sister of the driver wanted to drive.
• I remember as I got older when we went on the trips, I wanted to drive! I still do, well Moses brother and sister start in!
• SLIDE #11
• Numbers 12:2–3 (NIV) “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the LORD heard this. (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)
• God hear this one and sets them straight! He gave Miriam a leprosy type skin issue which caused her to be cast out of the camp for a week until the Lord healed her.
• The point of this all is that God is not pleased with constant complaining. If you are a constant complainer, God may not be too happy with you!
• We have to remember that God always keeps His promises even if the situation does not look like He could.
• Next let’s see…
• SLIDE #12
II. Israel’s dangerous wrong turn on the road.
• In Numbers 13-14 we see that the nation is going to get into some real trouble. The nation is now on the verge of going into the Promised Land!
• SO God told Moses to send some men to scout out the land of Canaan.
• Moses complies. He sent one person from each of the 12 tribes. Numbers 13 even gives us the names.
• The 12 scouted the land and returned. But there is a problem.
• SLIDE # 13
A. Two conflicting road reports.
• When the scouts came back, they reported the land was as awesome as God described it.
• But 10 if the scouts said the people are strong, the cities are well-fortified. In other words we cannot take this land, the forces within it are too strong.
• Caleb who was one of the scouts tries to calm the people.
• SLIDE #14
• Numbers 13:30 (NIV) Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”
• The other 10 argued with Caleb and tried to undercut him. Caleb knew he could TRUST GOD! The others served a small god.
• This leads us to the next problem
• SLIDE #15
B. The lack of trust in the GPS.
• Moses urges the people to take possession of the land, they would not listen, they cried and complained.
• They would not trust their GOD POSITIONED SATELLITE (GPS). My dad has had a tendency to not trust his GPS when traveling and it ended up getting him going to the wrong place.
• God was that voice telling them to turn to the right, but Israel decided to turn to the left.
• Once again we hear the cries about Egypt.
• SLIDE #16
• Numbers 14:3–4 (NIV) Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
• Wow, Egypt again! I wonder if Moses was second-guessing not taking God up on His earlier offer to start anew with him.
• It got so bad that the whole nation was ready to stone Moses. This leads to a consequence.
• SLIDE #17
C. The lack of trust in the GPS caused a forty-year detour.
• Talk about taking a wrong turn. The nation based on the report of 10 men rejected God by not trusting Him.
• God told them at they would now wander in the wilderness for 40 years until everyone over the age of 20 would die.
• Only Joshua and Caleb would enter the Promised Land from the 20 and over group.
• They could have avoided this problem with a little faith and trust. How many problems in life could you have avoided with a little faith and trust?
• SLIDE #18
III. Moses grand farewell speech at the end of his portion of the road trip.
• Now we are 40 years later. Deuteronomy 32-33. Moses is about to give his final speech to the nation. The nation is on the verge for the second time of going into the Promised Land.
• Why isn’t Moses going?
• SLIDE #19
A. Moses failed at one point to trust God.
• In Numbers 20, when the people were whining about water, they were crying that they wished they died with the others who died while wandering.
• God told Moses to speak to the rock while the nation was watching and water would flow.
• Moses who in fairness was probably at his wits end with the people instead struck the rock with his staff.
• Moses disobedience came with a price.
• SLIDE #20
B. Moses could not drive the people into the Promised Land.
• SLIDE #21
• Numbers 20:12 (NIV) But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”
• This seems harsh after all Moses had done, but he knew he messed up.
• Well now it is time, Moses is going to give his final speech.
• SLIDE #22
C. Moses encourages the people to choose life!
• Moses being the man of God he was encourages the people to choose life!
• SLIDE #23
• Deuteronomy 30:19–20 (NIV) This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
• What will you choose?
• SLIDE #24
CONCLUSION
• In your bulletin you will find an FCC Community Covenant Card.
• The card notes that you are the driver of a car. People follow where you go.
• On this “road trip” called life, you will covenant with this local community to trust and obey God, knowing that God will never lead you into a wrong turn.
• Now church family you are challenged to sign the covenant community card indicating that you will trust and obey God.
• We have heard the voice of God through Moses through the Story and we will “Choose life!”
• If you will choose life, please sign your name to it and you can tape it to the inside cover of the Story.
• During a time of struggle remember the promise you made to God!
• For you to be able to fulfill this promise, you need to first give your life to Jesus! Are you ready?
