Bunbury
Sun am
29/08/10
Last service in Mary St building
“Moving with God”
Intro: *** My daughter Tina & her husband Andrew love camping! Every chance they get they pack up all the camping gear & head off out into the great Australian outdoors. B/c they have been doing it for years they have a considerable amount of equipment. For them everything that you might want / need at home you also need when you go camping. So they load up their 4x4 w/ all the ‘necessary’ things for the trip & off they go.
Now I’ve never been w/ them so I’m not quite sure how long it takes them to set up. Apparently they can get it all happening fairly quick so that they can begin enjoying the real reason they go camping – the outdoors! But I imagine that for some campers w/ all the gear they have these days that by the time they get everything set up there is hardly any time to enjoy it b/4 it’s time to pack up again & head back home.
I have to admit that although the idea of carrying a swag / bedroll & a couple of cooking utensils & sleeping under the stars may not be the most comfortable way to go but it’s easy!!!
The Bible gives us the idea that God is a God who is on the move.
And one of the repeated warnings of Scripture is that we need to beware lest we find our/s being left behind.
The truth of the matter is that if we aren’t ready to move w/ God we’ll find our/s being left behind.
So t/m on the our last day in this building I want to preach a sermon about ‘Moving with God’.
Text: Numbers 9:15-23 (NKJV) 15Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. 16So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
17Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents.
18At the command of the LORD the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the LORD they would camp; as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped.
19Even when the cloud continued long, many days above the tabernacle, the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD and did not journey. 20So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the LORD they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the LORD they would journey. 21So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey; whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey. 22Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. 23At the command of the LORD they remained encamped, and at the command of the LORD they journeyed; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the command of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
# 1. The presence of God.
A. Why was it the people of God needed to keep moving?
*** I must admit I hate moving!!! This last move we made in June was just about the straw that broke the camel’s back for me ...... I hate moving! I counted how many times we’ve move since we’ve been married it I worked out that this was the 21st time we have shifted house. That’s about 20 x too many for me! I’d like to have been able to settle down in one house & not move. But the call / will of God doesn’t always want to be where I want to be so ....... it’s time to move again.
a. But why would you want to move if you didn’t have to?
i. The truth of the matter is that by settling down into one place we get a chance to make a life, meet people & establish a familiar environment.
ii. And the reality is that’s what most of us want in life.
iii. And every time we move it takes quite some time to establish these things again.
*** I was down in Busselton the other week having lunch w/ Ps Farrell. Every time I go down there & have lunch w/ him as we walk down the streets of Busselton he usually says hello to several people & there is a familiarity that he enjoys down there. Who wouldn’t want that?
b. When you think about it I’m sure that as the people of God journeyed along w/ the tabernacle / cloud / pillar of fire there must have been some very nice places.
i. One place they went to the Bible says that there was a nice little oasis in the desert.
Numbers 33:9 (NKJV) 9They moved from Marah and came to Elim. At Elim were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there.
ii. I’ll bet that was a nice little place to hang out & dip your toes in the water on a hot day!!!
iii. But the only problem is that the will of God for them wasn’t in that place ...... he had another destination in mind.
iv. Fortunately the next camping spot wasn’t so bad either, it was a little sea side retreat.
Numbers 33:10 (NKJV) 10They moved from Elim and camped by the Red Sea.
v. Again ..... not bad, camping on the sea shore of the Red Sea, fresh fish for lunch every day, surfing, diving / swimming – YEEEEHAAA!
vi. But look where God takes them next ......
Numbers 33:11 (NKJV) 11They moved from the Red Sea and camped in the Wilderness of Sin.
vii. The wilderness of Sin? I wonder if the location lived up to it’s name ...... maybe they named it Sin b/c they felt that’s what they’d done leaving the last two places.
c. It’s human nature to want to settle down in a nice place.
Numbers 32:1-5 ( NKJV ) 1Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of livestock; and when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that indeed the region was a place for livestock, 2the children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spoke to Moses 5....... “If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan.”
B. The key here is that wherever God’s presence is, that’s also where the blessing is.
*** I was in KWT, South Africa a few years ago now preaching in our church there where there was a happening scene bursting at the seams w/ revival. Many young people were getting saved & there was a good mix of whites, coloured & blacks all living in harmony in the church. I commented to the pastor during my time there that KWT was an appealing place to live & pastor a church.
W/ a contented smile on his face the pastor said to me ..... yeh, I guess that anywhere where there is revival is a great place to pastor huh? It was then that it dawned on me that what made KWT great place to serve God was not the environment. People were being murdered there every day & crime was out of control!
What made it a great place was the fact that God was there!!!
a. And that’s what we need to be ready to move w/ - the presence of God.
i. B/c wherever God is – that’s where we need to be.
** There’s an old saying which says ..... you need to get under the spout where the glory comes out.
ii. An in essence that’s exactly what god wanted his people do ..... get into His presence & be where He was.
iii. For these people it was a simple thing – follow the cloud!
Vs 21. 21So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey; whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey.
b. The big / impt question is ..... the place where you’ve settled down right now in life – is the presence of God there?
i. I’m not talking about your residential address but the place in life where you’ve settled down / gotten comfortable, been able to make a life.
ii. Is the presence of God in that place? Is it where God wants you to be in life or is God wanting to unsettle you & move you on to something else.
# 2. The direction of God.
A. For these people any direction they took was uncharted territory.
a. These people had lived their entire lives in metro Egypt w/i a stone’s throw of the brick factory.
i. Life had been pretty predictable for them .... arise at 5:00am, put on your work robes, throw down a bit of leavened bread & some goat’s milk & off to the brick factory!
ii. There wasn’t too much about life that was unusual / unpredictable or out of the ordinary & when you are living that kind of life you don’t need too much direction.
iii. I think that this is possibly the problem w/ too many Christians today ... their lives are so predictable ..... there is such an absence of God moving that they don’t need any direction!
iv. What’s more there is no longer any need for faith in their lives.
b. But that’s not the kind of life that God wants His people to live.
i. It’s God prerogative as our creator to direct us into a life where we will have to trust in His presence & His power.
ii. God was leading them out into a place where, unless He rained down bread & supernaturally bought forth water they would die of hunger & thirst.
iii. One of the greatest dangers you face as a Christian is that you would no longer need God to lead you.
iv. Once these people crossed over the Red Sea – everything was completely new territory & required them to believe God for their survival.
v. Have you been in that place lately? When was the last time you really had to believe God?
B. Who wouldn’t want to be moving in the same direction as God?
a. The fact is that the most exciting place in life to be in where God is.
*** There’s a group of people in the U.S. that have b/co known as storm chasers. What they really are is nuts! Through weather reports they track tornadoes & go out into the country side waiting for a tornado to form & then to go chasing after it. The problem w/ tornadoes however is that they don’t always stick to the road, they cut across fields / schools / mountains / rivers & lakes & wherever they please.
But if they want to enjoy the excitement of the tornado they have to be willing to take the same path of the tornado or risk losing it!
i. And the same is true of God ..... that if you want to be involved in the excitement / thrill of God moving you have to be willing to take the same path that God is moving along.
ii. If you are no longer excited about where God is moving & what God’s doing you better check your pulse b/c you may be dead!!!
Vs 23. 23At the command of the LORD they remained encamped, and at the command of the LORD they journeyed; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the command of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
iii. It’s not just that we are moving locations .... we’re following a God given direction here.
*** Think about it! For years a suitable building hasn’t been available & then when God says ..... it’s time to move, the right building b/co available in the right location for 1/3 of the price!
iv. When God begins to move the direction is always the right one, His leading always ushers us into something new / exciting & miraculous.
# 3. The destination of God.
A. As God was taking His people on this journey, He was not only the One leading them, He was their destination.
a. The whole idea of this journey called life is to know God!
*** Think about it .... this move is not just a move to 9 Forrest Ave, Bunbury into a new building is another step in our overall journey. But what is our destination? Is the destination a bigger building? A more glorified / prominent position in this city? What is our intended destination? Isn’t it God?
i. There is no greater destination we can move towards in life than God Himself.
James 4:8 (NKJV) 8Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. .....
ii. Get the pict in our text ...... God is representing Himself / presence / His majesty by a cloud that is hanging over the tabernacle the very place where God dwells.
iii. As the people are moving towards the cloud what they are really moving towards is – God!
iv. And isn’t that what the Christian life is really all about – moving towards God Himself???
Psalms 16:11 (NKJV) 11You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
b. As God was leading His people out of Egypt / slavery, a life of despair & hopelessness He was leading them towards the promised land.
i. God described it as a land the flowed w/ milk & honey, where every blessing was.
ii. But what it wasn’t the fact that it wasn’t that fact that it was such a paradise but that God was there – that’s what made it paradise!
B. When we make God our destination we not only get God Himself but everything that is w/ Him.
*** There is a program called ‘Destination Unknown’, I’ve never seen it that I know of but I believe that the basic premise of the program is that they take you on a journey & the destination is somewhat of a surprise.
a. In one sense this is true of God but in another sense it is not.
i. It is true in the sense that when we reach our destination, when we finally come into the unveiled presence of God it will surprise us!
Revelation 4:9-11 (NKJV) 9Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, £O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they £exist and were created.”
ii. If beings who are constantly in the presence of the Lamb of God feel an inward compulsion to suddenly fall down & begin worshipping Jesus ...we’ll be in for some surprises!
iii. But in another sense it won’t be true b/c every blessing / good thing / joy that we expected to find in God will be there!
*** Did you ever remember having a Christmas as a kid & as you opened you presents on Christmas morning one by one & finally the last one you found yourself looking for the present that wasn’t there? You expected something else but it never came!
iv. When we reach our destination / come into the very presence of God Himself – everything will be there!
b. When God is our destination we find everything we need.
i. Firstly – we find protection ....... He protected His people in the midst of the devouring wilderness / from the Egyptians & from their enemies.
ii. The cloud that was shelter, protection & comfort to the people of God was darkness & distress to the Egyptians.
Exodus 14:20 (NKJV) 20So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.
iii. Secondly – we find provision ...... to everyone else who lived in the wilderness it was a harsh environment but to God’s people it was the place of promise & provision.
iv. Every need they had in the wilderness was met as long as they made God their destination.
v. Thirdly – it was the place of purpose ...... in Egypt every day was the same, just another day at the brick factory building graves for dying kings.
vi. But God was taking them on to a life of purpose where they would build a life / future for themselves & their children.
vii. Who wouldn’t want to make God his destination?
