← ArchiveNumbersSunday, February 10, 2019DateFebruary 10, 2019Speaker—TextNumbers 9Passages in this sermonNumbers 90:50Numbers 9:155:56Acts 5:3222:35Hebrews 1224:11Luke 129:17Acts 229:26TranscriptMachine transcribed. Click any line to jump there.0:00Transcribed by ESO, translated by — I introduced myself already via video, but here I am live.0:30My name is Josh Burnham, a pastor here, one of our pastors here on staff. And so thank you for joining us. Today we're going to look again at the book of Numbers. And so if you have your Bibles with you, we hope that you do join us in Numbers chapter 9 and in verse 15. I know what you're thinking, Numbers, really? Yes, we believe, we exist, this church exists to share the whole gospel with the whole person, with the whole world.0:59And we believe what 2 Timothy says, that all of God's Word is inspired and is useful and is profitable for teaching and for rebuking and correcting and in training in righteousness. And so that leads us to everything in the Word of God. And that leads us back to Numbers chapter 9, a series we've simply entitled Lost.1:24We have several guides and helps. We have just a short booklet on the book of Numbers in the tables as you leave. If you don't have one, please pick that up. You can take notes in the back of that. And also, you might not realize this, but all of our sermons, everything I preach, everything Brad and Dan preaches are online in PDF. So you can look at all the notes, everything that you missed, everything that you wanted me to preach is online.1:50In 1954, a pilot set out from his aircraft carrier in the pitch black darkness. And as he departed from that aircraft carrier, immediately his directional instruments shut down. He had no way to know where to go.2:20And so, unfortunately for him, he immediately left and departed in the opposite direction that he should have been going. To make matters worse, within minutes of his directional instrumentation, letting him down, his instrument panel shut down, shut off completely. So he was in the pitch black dark. And pilots describe this as spatial disorientation. And there have been studies, or actually, I guess, publications that have showed that there have been pilots that have turned their aircraft carriers, their aircraft upside down,2:49and actually thinking that they were lifting away from the ocean, have plunged right into the ocean because they did not know up from down. It was so dark. But pilot looked around and could see nothing. And then he saw a faint trail down below.3:13And a vague and obscure part of his training reminded him that, in rare occasions, the wake of the ship would stir up phosphorescent algae and that they would make a faint trail on the ocean bottom. And that's what had happened. And so he knew in that moment that these algae were stirred up, and this was the least reliable form of any directional guide that he had available.3:38But he relied back upon his training in this moment. And using these phosphorescent algae, he navigated safely back to the ship. We know the story because he made it safely. He was lost. He was disoriented. He was in darkness. And the man's name is Jim Lovell.4:06He actually was on Apollo 13. Why do I tell you that story? Because for Jim, and this is what he said, he said, these bioluminescent dino flagellates saved my life. When all was hopeless, this was what he needed. Now let's jump right into numbers. Some of us today feel lost. You feel like you are spatially disoriented.4:36Maybe nothing's going right. Maybe your job is crumbling and your relationship's falling apart. Maybe you feel like me at that romantic table by yourself, that there's just no one in your life. Maybe you feel like you feel like you feel like you feel like you are in pitch black darkness.4:53What do we do when we're disoriented? That's our task today. As we look at Numbers chapter nine, and today's message is simply entitled, being led when you feel lost. Being led when you feel lost. And let me, I know it's around Valentine's Day, so let me give you a pickup line real quick.5:22It's not in my notes. You will not find this online. But guys, this week you can go up to someone at school and just say, you know what? You are my bioluminescent dino flagellate. Baby, you light my way. I would suggest that pickup line in, probably in science lab. Let me know if it works. If you get in trouble, parents, you send them to me. We need light in our life.5:51Numbers chapter nine, verse 15. On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle. The tent of the testimony. And it appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning. Verse 16. It remained that way continuously. The cloud would cover it, appearing like fire at night.6:21Whenever the cloud was lifted up above the tent, the Israelites would set out. At the place where the cloud stopped, there the Israelites camped. At the Lord's command, the Israelites set out. At the Lord's command, they camped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they camped. Even when the cloud stayed over the tabernacle many days, the Israelites carried out the Lord's requirement and did not set out.6:51Sometimes, the cloud remained over the tabernacle for only a few days. They would camp at the Lord's command and set out at the Lord's command. Sometimes, the cloud remained only from evening until morning. When the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out. Or, if it remained a day and a night, they moved out when the cloud lifted.7:17Whether it was two days, a month, or longer, the Israelites camped and did not set out as long as the cloud was lifted. But when it was lifted, they set out. They camped at the Lord's command and they set out at the Lord's command. They carried out the Lord's requirement according to His command through Moses.7:41This is the word of the Lord. Let's pray. Father, in this moment, on this day, in this year, and in this place, we need the fire of the presence of God. Lord, fill this place with Your fire.8:10Lord, fill this place. May Your Spirit and Your presence descend upon us as a cloud. Lord, that we would not be hearers only of Your word, but that we would not set out or we would not camp unless You have commanded it. Father, today we give You our lives. Prepare our hearts to receive Your word. Prepare our hands to live it out. Change us. We pray in Jesus' name.8:40Amen. And amen. Being led when you feel lost. So let's go back to verse 15 of Numbers chapter 9. Immediately, we see if you feel lost, if you feel disoriented, and that can look from the spiritual side to I'm going to pray and figure out where I'm going to college or who I'm going to date or what I'm doing with my finances. If you feel disoriented, listen to the word of the Lord in verse 15.9:07Everything begins with the presence of God. everything begins with the presence of the Lord. Let me give you a confession. I'm going to tell you a story today. Growing up, and I still might be this way, I was a scaredy cat. So much so, and I never wanted to leave the house. My brother, who's three years younger, and Eric, if you're listening, here's a shout out to you. He stayed at my grandparents' house overnight before I did.9:38He stayed at my grandparents' house overnight before I did. Because I just didn't want to go anywhere. And so for me, I would always have anxiety on the first day of school. Anyone else have first day of school? And it always happened. Every year. I mean, I knew that I was going to have the same classmates this year as I had last year. And I was still, I would have nervousness in my life. And so this didn't help. My kindergarten teacher's name was Miss Skulldager. So here I am, a little five-year-old, going to school for the first time.10:07And this lady meets me at the door and says, hey, I'm Miss Skulldager. I'm thinking, this is not going well. And I looked at my mom, who had my brother at this point. He's two. And all I could look and just say, mom, please don't leave me. Please don't leave me with this Miss Skulldager. I'm going to end up on Netflix as a documentary. And so my mom stayed.10:36And so my mom and brother would stay for really two weeks or so. They stayed. And my brother would work puzzles with my classmates. And he was two and they were five. And he could outwork them. But for me, the presence of my mom, when I felt lost and worried and scared, the presence of my mom changed everything for me. I would walk in with boldness. I don't care if your name's Miss Skulldager. And the same is with our lives. The presence of God changed them.11:04And look at verse 15. This was the first day of school moment. Because the Israelites have spent a year at Mount Sinai. And then we have this right here in verse 15 of chapter 9. They're preparing to take the promised land. Everything is ready. And then God says, on the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. So God is preparing them to leave.11:32Now what has changed? Something has changed fundamentally in Israel. For Israel, having the Lord in their midst, gave them the satisfaction and the peace to say, God, you're on our side. God, we're not going to worry. Yes, we have anxious thoughts. Yes, we've never been in this land before. God, yes, this is the first day of school.12:01But we know you're there with us. That's the power in the presence of God working. You see, the presence of God in your life is your orientation. It is your compass. It is your guide. It is your all. And the promise of God to Israel is the same promise for us today. Think about what Jesus says. The Messiah. The one who says, I am the bread of life.12:28I am the vine. I am the resurrection and the life. What does Jesus say about his presence? 4,000 years ago, they had the tabernacle. 2,000 years ago, Jesus says, I will never leave you or forsake you. Now, this is what I believe about Jesus. If Jesus is who he says he is, then he keeps his promises. Right? So why do we forget sometimes that Jesus says, I will not leave you?12:57Jesus says, I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. But if you're like me, sometimes in my life, I feel disoriented. I don't know up from down because things are chaotic. And I forget that Jesus says to me, I will not leave you. See, the power and the presence of God in our life should be a game changer. Everything begins with that in their life.13:26And you might not see it here. But what we have is not necessarily just a normal historical narrative. It's really semi-poetic language. So let me get technical for you for a second. Even the language of the text betrays the joy that Israel would have had about knowing the presence of God was with them. This is what one commentator says. He says, the irregularity of the lines shows that this passage is not true poetry.13:55Rather, it is elevated prose, expressing the excitement of the occasion. I mean, even the language of this text, you can tell the Israelites are excited. The presence of God is with us. This is different. Wake up. That's what the Israelites would tell us. God is in the camp. Everything begins with the presence of God in our life.14:23And even today, the Israelites joyfully celebrate this occasion. The Feast of Booth or Shavuot. It's a time when Israel gathers together. And this year is June 8th through the 10th. And they celebrate being guided by God through the wilderness. And if you want to celebrate that this year, you can do that. You can make a booth outside or stay in a tent.14:51We have several people in our church that do that. And it's a reminder of, God, even when we feel lost, your presence is with us. And I think we can learn a lot from Israel here. They, even to this day, they rejoice that God is their guide. Now, you say, well, I've never heard of Shavuot. Yeah, you have. You know it by a different name. Pentecost. And what happens on Pentecost?15:19Jesus has ascended into heaven 40 days after he was raised. And there's a 10-day break. So Pente 50 days after that. So between the resurrection and the ascension of Christ, we have Pentecost, Shavuot. And what does the Lord give us? The Holy Spirit, which is what? I will not leave you. I will not forsake you. And the Holy Spirit descends like a dove in the baptism, but here in the upper room, fire.15:45What is God's power and presence represented here in Numbers? Fire. What's the reminder? The presence of God changes our lives. We should celebrate that. This is a monumental occasion. And let me just simply ask, when's the last time you celebrated God's presence in your life? When's the last time you did a little dance?16:15Because the presence of the Lord was with you. Think about that. No one in the world can say that unless they have Jesus Christ. No community of faith can say that but Israel. No one had the presence of God by fire at night and cloud by day but Israel. And those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you can say, I have the presence of God living in me. We should celebrate that.16:45We should rejoice in the presence of God. So don't grow weary. Don't get disoriented. God's presence is with you. When's the last time we said, it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives within me. If you had this bumper sticker and I'm about to offend you, I ask your forgiveness ahead of time. God was not Israel's co-pilot. He was the leader and the center of their community.17:15That's the power and the presence of God. I love what Andrew Murray said. He said, may not a single moment of my life be spent outside of the light, the love, and the joy of God's presence. There's a gospel song that says, the presence of the Lord is here. And it repeats that.17:44When's the last time you said that to yourself? I'm a follower of Christ and the presence of the Lord is here. It's not in this building. When we leave today, the presence of the God is not staying here. It's staying here in us. Everything begins the presence of God in your life. Secondly, we see this. Look at verse 16. This is elementary, but it's profound in our lives.18:15It remained that way continuously. So when did the presence of God leave? It didn't. It was continuous. What does Jesus say? When is this presence going to leave us? I will never leave you. Jesus will never forsake us. Appearing like fire at night.18:43Now, we see over and over and over again in this scripture. And maybe as I read it, we hear this. So they have the appearance. They're seeing the appearance of the presence of God. But then they hear this. Look at verse 18. At the Lord's command, they set out. At the Lord's command, they camped. Look at verse 20. They would camp at the Lord's command. And they would set out at the Lord's command.19:13Look at verse 23. They camped at the Lord's command. And they set out at the Lord's commands. And then it ends this way. When you feel disoriented or discouraged or lost, examine the word of God. Listen to the commands of God.19:45Seven times in this passage, we see or hear literally the mouth of the Lord. They did not move. They did not camp unless it was the Lord's commands. The Lord's commands. The Lord's commands. The Lord's commands. The Lord's command. The Lord's command. The Lord's command. The Lord's command. What is numbers screaming at us this morning?20:15Listen to the commands and examine the word of God. One scholar said it this way. The sevenfold repetition of the Lord's command is the linguistic cement that unifies this passage. For us, is God's word the linguistic cement that unifies your life?20:39And if your life is in chaos and you haven't opened the word of God in a long time, that's probably why there's chaos. Can you imagine if God's people just camped and said, we know what God said, but we really think he said this. And so Judah, we're going to do our own thing. We know the 11 tribes, you guys are staying here, but you know what?21:06We just can't wait any longer. We know God said this, but are you examining the word of God in your life? A.W. Tozer says it this way. God is not silent. It is the nature of God to speak. The second person of the Holy Trinity is called the word. It's called the word. Let the word of God unify your life.21:34So how does that happen practically? You have to listen to the Holy Spirit. God's spirit inspired his word and God's spirit illuminates his word in your life to change who you are. That's the power of God working out in us. And God's spirit will never contradict the word of God. So if I come to you and say, hey, Shane, God told me this. It's not really in his word, but I just feel God spoke to me this.22:03You need to open your Bible and say, no, he didn't. Because the spirit who inspired the word illuminates my life will never contradict the infallible and errant word of God. But they work together. They work hand in hand, hand in glove. So don't just read the word of God. Ask the spirit of God to change your heart as you read his word. Examine the word.22:31We see in Acts chapter 5, verse 32, that we are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey. Are you listening to the Holy Spirit? What would your life look like today if you were led by his spirit? What would my life look like if you woke up and you said, man, I saw the cloud of the Holy Spirit very clearly. I am going to be led by that.23:00And maybe you saw the fire of God. You said, this is the fire of Christ. I'm going to live by these commands. I have examined his word. I have listened to the spirit. I'm led by the spirit of God. Our lives would look different if we were led by the commands and examined the word of the Lord. You say, well, how does that happen? I'm going to read the word of God. I'm going to listen to the Holy Spirit. I get it. But just simply, we need to open our eyes.23:28Look at what's happening here in this passage. Verse 15. Around the 10 of testimony, the presence of God appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning. Verse 16. It appeared like fire at night. Now, this is elementary, but what is an appearance of something? Something that should be seen.23:59So we can't close our eyes and expect to see the presence of God working out. Open our eyes. Hebrews 12, verse 2, very simply says, let us lay aside everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. And then verse 2. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus. Where are your eyes?24:29Where are your eyes? Are they in the word of God? Are you looking for God to move in your life? And you say, that's where I want to be. Examine the word of the Lord. How do you get into the word? I say it simply this way. Get into the word until it gets into you. Get into the word of God. Are you reading the Bible regularly? Are you reading it to be changed?24:57I'm reading slash listening to a new Bible plan. I'm reading the Bible again this year through. And sometimes I read it. Sometimes it's read to me. I have an app, the YouVersion. It's a great resource online. And so I began this year charged up. I'm like, Lord, we're going to do this. I'm going to examine your word. When I feel lost, it is there. And we start off with Job. I'm like, man, this is rough. This is not a good way to start the new year. But Job loses everything. And then day two, I'm reading.25:26I'm almost weeping. I'm like, Lord, I don't know if I have that faith. And Job says, I brought nothing into this world and I will depart from nothing. I'm like, Lord, that's where I want to be. And if we examine the word of God with a heart filled with his spirit, he will change who you are. Are you regularly encountering the word of God? Why are life groups critical in our lives? Because that is the word in community. We don't have life groups just to throw parties.25:57We don't have those life groups. We want to open the word of God and be filled with the spirit of God and be changed by our heavenly father. So if you're not in one right now, I encourage you, don't wait till next week. Join one. We need to examine the word of the Lord. James Alexander says it this way. The study of God's word for the purpose of discovering God's will is the secret discipline which has formed the greatest characters.26:23Let me say that again. The study of God's word for the purpose of discovering God's will, not intellectual ascents, is the secret discipline which has formed the greatest characters. You know what our Lord and Savior did when he was tempted 40 days in the wilderness and Satan tempts him? You know what Jesus used? The word of God.26:52Satan, have you not heard? It is written. And it is no accident that the second person of the Trinity is called the word. Examine the word. Get into the word until it gets into you. Everything begins with the presence of God. Examine the word of God that your heart may just spill forth with joy. And then third, what do we do when we feel disoriented?27:21Look at verse 17. Whenever, we'll just stop there. Whenever, expect God to move. I know that's not a Baptist tradition. But let's get Israel on everyone real quick. Expect God to move. Whenever the cloud was lifted up above the tent,27:49the Israelites would set out. When you feel disoriented, expect the Holy Spirit to move you. Expect the Holy Spirit. Whenever God would move, they would move. Whenever God would camp, they would camp. And we miss that. But what's God doing? He is moving his people where he wants them to be when he wants them to be there.28:18We should have a holy expectation that God is moving in our life. And sadly, in our lives and in my life, often we ready ourselves to experience a mighty move of God, but with little expectation that God is going to move us. And we pray, God, show up in a mighty way. But we never really think he's going to move us. What a sad state of affairs28:48we have become. Just simply expect God to move. I love this in the word of God in scripture. We never see the Holy Spirit stationary. You open Genesis and right in chapter one, what's the Holy Spirit doing? Hovering over the waters. We see in the Old Testament that God is filling people for his glory to do something. We have in Matthew and Luke chapter one,29:17the Holy Spirit birthing the Son of God, the immaculate conception. We have in Acts chapter two and three, the Holy Spirit descending like tongues of fire. We have the Holy Spirit convicting people and bringing people to repentance, guiding and comforting. The Holy Spirit is the one that's moving. We never see the Holy Spirit taking a break. You'll never find in scripture29:48the Holy Spirit rested because he was worn out. And yet, why do we not have the expectation in our lives that God is moving us? The Holy Spirit will never produce stagnant believers. We'll never do that. So if you're stagnant right now, it's not because the Holy Spirit's not moving you. It's because we've said, we know the cloud is moving. We know the fire is moving, but we just like this plot of grounds. are you ready to be moved by God?30:20Are you ready to be moved? Maybe we need to revive that song. Remember the song when I was growing up in camp? Every move I make, I'm making you. And then as you have the waves of mercy, waves of grace, everywhere I look, I see your face. We probably should not revive that. I see some heads and I'm like, yes, right? This is the baddest dance right here. But there's a lot of truth to that,30:51is there not? Everywhere he moves, you make me move. And I just believe in our lives, if we have given our lives to King Jesus, that we should have a bias for action. We should just say, God, we know you're moving. It's not a question of if God is moving, it's a question of where. And God, where you are, that's where I want to be. Are you ready to move, to be moved by the spirit of God?31:20And let me just say for our youth, I want to shout out to you guys, every time I talk to you, don't wait. Don't feel like you have to wait till you're 85 to do something for the Lord. Go, just go now. You say, well, where do I go? I don't care, just go. Right? Because if the spirit of God is with us, we need to move. And we need to be a church that looks at our young generations. We have younger generations31:49than this generation. And we need to expect them that God is going to use them right now in a mighty way. Because the Lord doesn't give new believers a baby spirit. It's not like the Holy Spirit has to one day blossom and grow. No, the moment we put our faith in Christ, the full-fledged spirit, the one that came down like a fire, is in them and it is in us. And so maybe we need to grab some of our youth and say, look, let's go. I don't know where we're going, but I know the spirit of God32:19is on the move. And where the spirit of God is, that's where I want to be. And there is no more safer place to be in the presence of God. And from the natural perspective, there is no more dangerous place to be than not knowing, but to say, God, I want to be where you are. Expect God to move. I love this thought. It says, it is no use lingering to venerate the spot where God has been.32:49Nor is it worthwhile to guess where God may go next and running ahead to get there first. Be where God is moving today. Today. Expect God to move in your life today. When we have a song of response, don't expect that God's going to move someone else to pour their lives forth on the altar. Maybe that's you. Instead of looking around, maybe we should say, God, I don't care33:18if you move anyone else in this world, but I want you to move me. God, let revival begin in this place. I just want to encourage you right now, though. Don't get frustrated. Don't grow and don't have exasperation. Look at verse 16 and verse 21. As we wait, as we expect God to move, this can happen. Verse 16. It remains.33:47It remains. That's it. It remains. Some of you are already fidgeting. You're worried about lunch and you're like, man, let's just, I don't know. Let's have time to have the invitation. God, I want you to move. Let's go, let's go, go. And we just get so amped up like I have to do something right now. And don't grow weary or exasperated when God says, wait. Because God asking you to camp today right here34:16is God moving in your life. so if God is asking you to remain, trust Him. Look at verse 21. Sometimes the cloud remained again. And I know what you're thinking. If you were in Israel, you'd say, okay, Lord, last week it was a day and it's a day and a half right now, so let's go. You're not on schedule. God, I've been praying for this. Lord, we're ready. We're packed up. And maybe that's where34:48you are spiritually. Maybe you know God is moving. Maybe you know that God is giving you this mission or asking you to do this and you just feel like it's not happening on your time. You're not alone. Wait on the Lord. And if you are waiting on the Lord on the day that He asks you to wait on Him, He is moving in your life. That day. Waiting is a movement of the Holy Spirit. Can you imagine being Israel?35:18The journey to Canaan should have taken around 10 days. And because of their stubbornness, rebellion, and sin, it took around 40 years. So if you are antsy spiritually, if you feel, I feel lost and I just, I don't want to wait, maybe that is God's moving in your life today. And maybe the Lord is just saying,35:47be still and know that He is God. Because often in our lives, the wilderness is the Lord's tool to mold us into someone He wants us to be. God is using the wilderness. God is using the weight to mold you into the image of Jesus Christ. And Westerners, listen when I say this. We live in a world36:17that's so fast-paced. And some of you had said this this week. Hey, how's your week been? Man, it's busy. And I say that a lot, right? How's your week been? It's been good, it's just busy. Well, that's my fault. And I would say, really, we're all busy. And we should never desire the agenda of God more than the presence of God. Because we are agenda-driven people. God, yes, I love your presence,36:47but if you would show me the map, I would really appreciate it. God, I'm ready for you to move, but if you showed me all the dots along the way, I would really appreciate the mountaintops and for sure show me the valleys. God, that would go a long way in my faith. And as God told Israel, He tells us, I've given you the cloud. I've given you the fire.37:16I've given you my presence. What more do we need? What happens when we feel disoriented or lost? Everything begins with the presence of God. Examine deeply the word of the Lord through the spirit of the Lord. And expect God to move. My expectation right now, even when I read the word of God,37:46I could tell his spirit was moving my heart to do something. If you know Jesus Christ, we can't open the word of God and say, huh, that was nice. No, the spirit is moving in us. And over and over and over again, let me read it one more time. Verse 18, At the Lord's command, the Israelites set out. At the Lord's command, they camped. Verse 20, They would camp at the Lord's command and they set out38:15at the Lord's command. Verse 23, They camped at the Lord's command and they set out at the Lord's command. They carried out the Lord's requirement according to His command through Moses. Numbers chapter 9 goes a really, really long way and out of the way to say this. What God wanted His people to do they did. And if some of you are like me this morning, you didn't get it on the first time. You didn't get it38:45on the second time. You didn't get it on the fifth time. God said, I'm going to give it to you seven times, the number of completion. When God moves, His people should move. And when God says stay, His people should stay. So how do we live out the word of God in our lives this week? First, I just have a deep burden that everything begins with the presence of God. And I really believe that some of you are here today39:14and you've never put your hope and trust in Jesus Christ. Maybe this is the first time that you've ever heard that when you feel lost, God will rescue you. And let me tell you how lost you are without Jesus. The same lost I was. The Bible doesn't say you're sick and you'll get well by yourself. It doesn't say you're kind of lost in the fringe and you'll find your way out. It doesn't say that, hey, you're a pretty good person and eventually God will accept you. No, we are desperately wicked above all.39:44And the Bible says this, here's our hope that while you and I were still sinners, while we were lost in the deepest wilderness the world has ever seen, Christ Jesus died for us. That while we were in the darkest of night, it's no accident that Jesus says this, the I am statement, I am the light of the worlds. And maybe, maybe that's you today. Maybe you're going40:14through that spiritual darkness and you've grown frustrated because you've grown up in church and you just don't feel or experience the presence of God in your life. And if you have never experienced the presence of God in your life, you need to check your heart. Because maybe you're in a camp and God's presence is not there. Maybe you've grown up in church and you've gone through all the rituals and you've jumped through all the hoops and you've just grown frustrated because you found40:43that church is not the answer. You're right. It's not. Jesus Christ is the answer. And he came and lived a sinless life. And whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. Whoever confesses with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes and believes in their heart that he rose from the dead will be saved. And that's not a salvation41:13that God says, well, you'll be saved one day when you die. No, it's you'll be saved the moment you die to yourself and you're raised in new life. So if you've never experienced the presence of God, maybe for the first time you need to say, God, I recognize today that I'm a sinner and I want your spirit to live in me. And I believe that that can only be found in Jesus Christ because Jesus says no one can come to the Father except through the Son. And maybe right now41:44you just need to pause and close your eyes and spend time in prayer and say, God, I need you. I am a great sinner and I believe that you sent your Son who is a great Savior. Will you do that today? Maybe you're thinking, well, tomorrow's, it can wait. No. God has not given you tomorrow. He's given you today to hear your word. And if you have put your trust in Jesus or you want to know more,42:14we'll have counselors down front. Brad will actually be at the New Year table, one of our pastors. After the service, he would love to talk with you about putting your trust in Jesus. And I'll stay here after the service. But do not miss a chance. We are all, this is a church full of lost people. And thankfully, some of us have been found. Not because we went looking for Jesus, because he went looking for us. He went looking for you. Maybe you're here42:44and you say, well, I've put my trust in Christ and now what? I want God to move. Will you be bold enough to pray three prayers today during our time of response? And as I've been praying through this in my life, the first is this. Would you just simply pray, God, I want and need your presence. Very simple prayer, isn't it? So God, above anything else in my life, if I have nothing else, God, right now,43:14I want your presence in my life. Would you pray that? Would you have the boldness just to say, God, this is what I desire. Secondly, in our life, would you pray this prayer? God, today, maybe for the first time, but God, I want your word to be the final word in my life. God, I feel lost. I feel disoriented. God, I want your word to be the final word. And God, if you say move, if you say go,43:43today's the day I'm going. And if you say wait, I'm gonna wait, but Lord, I'm gonna listen to your word through your spirit and your word is the final word. Oh, what a sad place it is when we who call ourselves Christ followers do not follow the word of the Lord. We need to recenter our lives. Third, would you pray this prayer very simply? Father, move in my life today.44:11That's a scary prayer. Because you're not saying, God, I'm gonna tell you how to move in my life. Would you have the faith and the boldness to say, God, my life is yours. Move. And if you're going to move me, God, I'm ready. Let's pray, Father.← Previous in NumbersSunday, January 20, 2019Next in Numbers →Sunday, February 24, 2019More sermons on Numbers →
