United at the Cross Community Church
Sunday August 21, 2005 ¡V Pastor Mike Furches
Hope for the Future
Scripture: Numbers 13,
Attention Focus: Bobby Bouche: ¡§You can do it!¡¨
Story: Last months, getting back the vision of UAC, times of prayer, development of relationships, reaching the community. Prayer, even the spiritual war that we are in. Elders meeting, speaking about the fact that now is a time that Satan will be attacking the church, our families, each other and then trying to tear the church apart by starting first with us as pastors and we as elders.
Story: Last week getting ready for church. No television at our house until after we get home from church and have had lunch.
Question: How have you been looking at the difficulties facing you in your life or in the life of the church?
Content
Numbers 13
(1) The LORD said to Moses, (2) " Choose a leader from each tribe and send them into Canaan to explore the land I am giving you."
(3) So Moses sent twelve tribal leaders from Israel’s camp in the Paran Desert (4 -16) with orders to explore the land of Canaan. And here are their names:
Shammua son of Zaccur from Reuben, Shaphat son of Hori from Simeon, Caleb son of Jephunneh from Judah, Igal son of Joseph from Issachar, Joshua son of Nun from Ephraim, Palti son of Raphu from Benjamin, Gaddiel son of Sodi from Zebulun, Gaddi son of Susi from Manasseh, Ammiel son of Gemalli from Dan, Sethur son of Michael from Asher, Nahbi son of Vophsi from Naphtali, and Geuel son of Machi from Gad.
(17) Before Moses sent them into Canaan, he said:
After you go through the Southern Desert of Canaan, continue north into the hill country (18) and find out what those regions are like. Be sure to remember how many people live there, how strong they are, (19 -20) and if they live in open towns or walled cities. See if the land is good for growing crops and find out what kinds of trees grow there. It’s time for grapes to ripen, so try to bring back some of the fruit that grows there.
(21) The twelve men left to explore Canaan from the Zin Desert in the south all the way to the town of Rehob near Lebo-Hamath in the north. (22) As they went through the Southern Desert, they came to the town of Hebron, which was seven years older than the Egyptian town of Zoan. In Hebron, they saw the three Anakim clans of Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai. (23 -24) When they got to Bunch Valley, they cut off a branch with such a huge bunch of grapes, that it took two men to carry it on a pole. That’s why the place was called Bunch Valley. Along with the grapes, they also took back pomegranates and figs.
(25) After exploring the land of Canaan forty days, (26) the twelve men returned to Kadesh in the Paran Desert and told Moses, Aaron, and the people what they had seen. They showed them the fruit (27) and said:
Look at this fruit! The land we explored is rich with milk and honey. (28) But the people who live there are strong, and their cities are large and walled. We even saw the three Anakim clans. (29) Besides that, the Amalekites live in the Southern Desert; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites are in the hill country; and the Canaanites live along the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. (30) Caleb calmed down the crowd and said, " Let’s go and take the land. I know we can do it!"
(31) But the other men replied, " Those people are much too strong for us." (32) Then they started spreading rumors and saying, " We won’t be able to grow anything in that soil. And the people are like giants. (33) In fact, we saw the Nephilim who are the ancestors of the Anakim. They were so big that we felt as small as grasshoppers."
Numbers 14
(1) After the Israelites heard the report from the twelve men who had explored Canaan, the people cried all night (2) and complained to Moses and Aaron, " We wish we had died in Egypt or somewhere out here in the desert! (3) Is the LORD leading us into Canaan, just to have us killed and our women and children captured? We’d be better off in Egypt." (4) Then they said to one another, " Let’s choose our own leader and go back."
(5) Moses and Aaron bowed down to pray in front of the crowd. (6) Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes in sorrow (7) and said:
We saw the land ourselves, and it’s very good. (8) If we obey the LORD, he will surely give us that land rich with milk and honey. (9) So don’t rebel. We have no reason to be afraid of the people who live there. The LORD is on our side, and they won’t stand a chance against us!
(10) The crowd threatened to stone Moses and Aaron to death. But just then, the LORD appeared in a cloud at the sacred tent.
(11) The LORD said to Moses, " I have done great things for these people, and they still reject me by refusing to believe in my power. (12) So they will no longer be my people. I will destroy them, but I will make you the ancestor of a nation even stronger than theirs."
(13 -16) Moses replied:
With your mighty power you rescued your people from Egypt, so please don’t destroy us here in the desert. If you do, the Egyptians will hear about it and tell the people of Canaan. Those Canaanites already know that we are your people, and that we see you face to face. And they have heard how you lead us with a thick cloud during the day and flaming fire at night. But if you kill us, they will claim it was because you weren’t powerful enough to lead us into Canaan as you promised.
(17) Show us your great power, LORD. You promised (18) that you love to show mercy and kindness. And you said that you are very patient, but that you will punish everyone guilty of doing wrong--not only them but their children and grandchildren as well.
(19) You are merciful, and you treat people better than they deserve. So please forgive these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.
(20) Then the LORD said to Moses:
In answer to your prayer, I do forgive them. (21) But as surely as I live and my power has no limit, (22 -23) I swear that not one of these Israelites will enter the land I promised to give their ancestors. These people have seen my power in Egypt and in the desert, but they will never see Canaan. They have disobeyed and tested me too many times.
(24) But my servant Caleb isn’t like the others. So because he has faith in me, I will allow him to cross into Canaan, and his descendants will settle there.
(25) Now listen, Moses! The Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys of Canaan. And tomorrow morning, you’ll need to turn around and head back into the desert toward the Red Sea.
(26) The LORD told Moses and Aaron (27 -28) to give this message to the people of Israel:
You sinful people have complained against me too many times! Now I swear by my own life that I will give you exactly what you wanted. (29) You will die right here in the desert, and your dead bodies will cover the ground. You have insulted me, and none of you men who are over twenty years old (30) will enter the land that I solemnly promised to give you as your own--only Caleb and Joshua will go in. (31) You were worried that your own children would be captured. But I, the LORD, will let them enter the land you have rejected. (32) You will die here in the desert! (33) Your children will wander around in this desert forty years, suffering because of your sins, until all of you are dead. (34) I will cruelly punish you every day for the next forty years--one year for each day that the land was explored. (35) You sinful people who ganged up against me will die here in the desert.
(36) Ten of the men sent to explore the land had brought back bad news and had made the people complain against the LORD. (37) So he sent a deadly disease that killed those men, (38) but he let Joshua and Caleb live.
(39) The people of Israel were very sad after Moses gave them the LORD’s message. (40) So they got up early the next morning and got ready to head toward the hill country of Canaan. They said, " We were wrong to complain about the LORD. Let’s go into the land that he promised us."
(41) But Moses replied, " You’re disobeying the LORD! Your plan won’t work, (42 -43) so don’t even try it. The LORD refuses to help you, because you turned your backs on him. The Amalekites and the Canaanites are your enemies, and they will attack and defeat you."
(44) But the Israelites ignored Moses and marched toward the hill country, even though the sacred chest and Moses did not go with them. (45) The Amalekites and the Canaanites came down from the hill country, defeated the Israelites, and chased them as far as the town of Hormah.
„« Many, some estimate, millions had gone on the journey, and many had the chance to see the promised land, not everyone was going to get to go in.
„« Imagine going on the greatest vacation ever to Disneyworld and you only get to look in through the gates.
o There were respected leaders who selected to scout out the territory, 12 in all. All of the leaders, plus Moses got to see the promised land but didn¡¦t get to go in.
1. Only two, Joshua and Caleb got to go into the promised land.
„« They all saw the potential harvest, and the large amount of fruit, but most focused more on the obstacles than they did the potential.
2. How do we see things, do we see the positive and potential or do we see the negative and hazards?
„« Often times when we see the potential and negative we blame people. Remember that Satan is our enemy.
„« Notice how Moses, Joshua and Caleb call the people to prayer and they themselves start off in prayer.
o How did the people respond? They wanted to stone them.
o The Lord honored those who honored him, those who had confidence in him. Those who trusted him, despite the difficulties that lay ahead.
o The Lord becomes angry at those that have forgotten what he has done for them.
3. We need to get rid of Murphy ¡¦s Law, the law should be, there is nothing too difficult with Christ.
4. How we ask a question makes a difference in the results we see, are we asking negatively or positively.
o Army kitchen help serving apricots last man in the chow line serving the fruit
„X Wouldn¡¦t want a bowl of apricots would you? 40%
„X Would you like a bowl of apricots? 50%
„X Would you like 1 bowl or 2 bowls of apricots? 50% 1 bowl, 40% 2 bowls only 10% with none. It is how we ask the question.
5. We are the ones that determine how we look at things; no one can make us look at things in a Negative light if we realize that Christ is the one that can do all things, or even yet, that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.
„« Realize that asking the question and then responding to what we think is the answer still has to be done God¡¦s way.
o After the people are confronted in their sin, they want to jump up and do things their way instead of God¡¦s way.
o A good heart, good intent, don¡¦t make things right. We still have to be willing to listen to God.
„« What is the attitude that we are addressing our problems with?
„« Thoughts, comments, questions, concerns.
„« Close in Congregational Prayer & Worship
