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Sunday 25 May 2003 - "Instant obedience" or "The
frozen chosen"
(Summary of sermon by Friedel Stegen)
Num 13 & 14
When did you last preach the Gospel? What drives and
consumes you? Is it the Living Word of God? You in whose lives God has worked should tell
others what you've seen and heard.
When we were overseas, the people in Scandinavia envied God's work here and urged us to
stay true and faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ! They mourned state of their youth who are
only kept in the churches by modern music, but none of their lives are changed. Wherever
we went, we found this cry for help.
At another conference they invited KwaSizabantu speakers to address them and asked for
the Euro Choir to sing, for they said that "we need such youth as they". You
young people has the future of your country in your hands and can win it for Christ. Your
life speaks louder than your mouth. That's what impresses the people - the lives of our
youth. The Lord Jesus loves you and wants to use you. He wants to make you true disciples
of Him.
Here in Numbers we read how Moses sent out the twelve spies
to search out the land, and bring report again. They saw the richness of the land, but
they saw the giants and obstacles too. It is like people who forsakes Egype, serves God,
but then they see life's problems they lose heart. You can maybe testify of the riches He
has given you and the precious promises, but what happens when you face difficulties and
temptations? There are those that say that when you accept Jesus it is simply a slide to
heaven. No, God makes it plain that there will be trials for those who follow Him, but He
gives the promise of victory in the face of all obstacles, if we put our trust in Him.
God has chosen you too to search out the land. He expects you to be faithful to Him and
bring a good report, that with God victory is sure. Do you report His Word or your own?
Are you faithful as Joshua and Caleb or do you murmer as the ten with their evil report?
Beware and shun those with an evil report and heart. God has promised to give that rich
country to them, yet they still brought up an evil report. How easily are you influenced
by the negative attitude of your husband, wife, children, or friends? We are called of God
to go from victory unto victory; to be salt, light and an eternal blessing. Whose glory is
on your face, Jesus or the devil's?
In Chapter 14 we read of the result of their negative
report. They despised God's goodness and promises and desired death. They wanted to choose
a leader for themselves to lead them back to Egypt. So too, some Christians, when faced
with difficulties, e.g. a friendship or sin that needs to be broken, turn back to Egypt
rather than obeying God's Word. Many rejoice and receive Jesus, but because of so-called
friendships and love, they forsake God and return to the world. Just take the Bible and
read what the result of their evil murmer and rebellion was. The whole congregation, every
one of them, over 20, died in the wilderness, except Joshua and Caleb. So God turned them
back to wander for forty years in the wilderness. Amazingly, even after that they sinned
yet again and went against God's Word. When they saw their sin and its result, they stood
up to "obey God's previous command" to possess Canaan. How often do we, when we
see our sin of disobedience, try to do today what God commanded yesterday. Today His
command is different. In stead of falling on their face and asking Moses to intercede to
God for their sin they rebell yet again. Delayed obedience is disobedience. We must obey
God immediately.
May God give you a heart to obey immediately, no matter how
you feel and whether you like it or not. Do not be influenced by those with a negative
report about God's work, but be as Caleb who saw the same difficulties, but obeyed God
because God has promised and spoken. |
