← ArchiveNumbersSunday, March 10, 2019DateMarch 10, 2019Speaker—TextNumbers 17Passages in this sermonNumbers 172:38Hebrews 93:47Hebrews 1712:37Exodus 314:55Exodus 2821:45Revelation 1322:57Revelation 1423:40Psalms 12129:46Hebrews 1031:07John 1545:05TranscriptClick any line to jump there.0:00Transcribed by ESO, translated by — Well, good morning. I hope you are doing well.0:30My name is Josh Burnham, lead pastor at Bethel, where you are currently sitting and listening. I know some of you have not had an hour of sleep that you lost last night, but let me just warn you this way. Today is not the day to go to sleep in church, okay? That's partly why I have a stick for some of you.1:00The other part, the more truth would be that we are looking again at the book of Numbers. For those of you who hate math, we'll use the Hebrew title of the book, which is Ba Midbar, or in the wilderness. And that's what we're seeing in this Old Testament book, that the people of God wandering around in the wilderness because of their sin, because of their brokenness.1:29Now, I would say this. If you're Joshua and Caleb, you're wandering around in the wilderness, not because of your brokenness, but because of the community. And that's how sin works. There's sometimes that I'm wandering around in the wilderness because it's your fault, not mine. And there's sometimes that you're wandering around in the wilderness, not because it's your fault, but because it's mine. And that's why as a community of faith, it is so important that we daily seek the grace of God together.1:54The Americanized view of Christianity where it's a solo endeavor is not found in the Bible. So may God open our hearts and our minds to that. What we see really in the book of Numbers is this. The greater the maze, the greater the haze of us finding full satisfaction in Jesus Christ. Have you ever found that in your life? The more difficult or even the more comfortable my life,2:23the more I struggle to find true satisfaction in where God has me today. So let's turn to the book of Numbers in the Old Testament, fourth book of the Bible, Numbers chapter 17. And hopefully as you turn there, what I'm holding in my hand will make sense to you. Let me ask you this question. Right now, if you went to your backyard and because of all the rain, there's erosion,2:49and you found the Ark of the Covenant in your backyard, what would you do? Be honest. What would you do? Now, if some of you are, if you're curious, I was the boy growing up that I asked why, why, why. And when I was told to quit asking why, I said, why? Some of you, like me, are going to open that. Now, if you watch TV, they're going to tell you that maybe the Ark's found in Ethiopia or Egypt or somewhere in Israel.3:21And then someone has it hidden for the last days. Or I've even read somewhere that the Native Americans hid it in the United States somewhere. So the reality that it could be in the 35004 or 35120 zip code is possible. But what would you do? That's what we're going to look at today. Because what we see in Scripture, what we see in Hebrews 9, verse 4, we find the answer to if you opened up the Ark, what you would see in there.3:47You'll find several things. You'll find the manna in a golden censer that they were to put in the Ark of the Covenant to remind the people of God's daily provision in their life. You would find the Decalogue or the Ten Commandments, the stones, to remind them of God's precepts.4:10And you would also find Aaron's staff. But it didn't look like this, did it? It was unique to remind the people of God of the Aaronic priesthood. And so today we lift the mercy seat and we look into the Ark.4:38And we will find how God has given us His will, revealed that to us today. Let's read Numbers chapter 17, beginning in verse 1. Now, the Lord instructed Moses, saying this in verse 2, So do we understand it so far?5:05Each man's name on his staff. So do we understand it so far? So how many staffs? Twelve. And on the staffs, the name of the ancestral leader, except on Levi's staff. Don't write Levi, but write Aaron.5:32Because there is to be one staff for each head of the tribe. In verse 4, place them in the tent of meeting, in front of the testimony where I meet with you, says the Lord. The staff of the man that I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of the Israelites' complaints that they have been making about you. So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each one of their leaders gave him a staff, one for each of the leaders of their tribes, twelve staffs in all.5:58Aaron's staff was among them. The next day, Moses entered the tent of the testimony and saw Aaron's staff, representing the house of Levi. It had sprouted. Strange. It had formed buds. It had blossomed and produced almonds.6:27Anyone else find that really weird? My scripture has an exclamation point after verse 8. And it's like they found almonds. What is going on here? In verse 9, Moses brought them out from the Lord's presence to all the Israelites. They saw him, and each man took his own staff. The Lord told Moses, put Aaron's staff back in front of the testimony to keep as a sign for the rebels,6:54so that you may put an end to their complaints before me, or else they will die. So Moses did as the Lord had commanded him. Then the Israelites declared to Moses, look, we are perishing. We're lost. We're all lost. Anyone who comes near the Lord's tabernacle will die.7:20We will all perish. Let's pray. Father, open our eyes to your will and your mercy. Let us know that you have a plan that is greater than ours. And Father, may we live by that plan. And Lord, right now, would we not be like the rebels? May we not push back against a Father who has created each and every one of us to know him and to experience his love.7:47So Lord, open our hearts and our minds to understand your truth in your word. Lord, open up our hands that we would serve you. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen and amen. In our modern translations, oftentimes you see chapters and verses.8:12And for some of you right now, you are easily and quickly able to find Numbers 17, because I told you, fourth book of the Bible, 17th chapter, first verse. But there are times where our modern translations and our modern chapters and verses create difficulty for us. Because what you don't see, unless you brought your scroll today, is that our chapter 17 is actually verse 16 in the Hebrew Bible.8:37So what has happened in the Hebrew Scriptures is that this chapter is linked to the verses right next to it in a very clear way. So verse 1 of chapter 17 is actually verse 16 of chapter 17. And you say, well, why would they link those together? Why would the Hebrew author want us to connect these two passages of Scripture?9:04Very clearly in verse 49. If you were here last week, you know that Korah rebelled. And other leaders of Israel and other 250 men. But we found out it's not just these men who have rebelled against the Lord. We found out in chapter 16, verse 49, that 14,700 people have rebelled against the Lord. So what is going on here in this passage?9:33We're going to look at that. I'm going to explain it. And then we're going to apply it. So we're going to say, what? And then we're going to answer the, so what? In our life. Very clearly in this passage, before you can understand the deliverance of God in your life, we have to be able to answer the delivered from what? Right? Before you can say, God save me, you need to understand what God is delivering you from. And this is the struggle with Western cultural Christianity.10:02This is a struggle that many of you had growing up, and the same with me. We automatically assume that we're good people. Hey, how's your week been? It was good. Anyone else say that today? I have. I didn't even think about it. And I don't ask you about your week really expecting you to think about the answer. We're just from the South, and that's what you do. The truth is, I really don't want to know what happened this week for you.10:30I just want you to say it was good. And so most of us think that we are good because we don't like to be thought of as not good, as rebels, as sinful. But the reality, biblically, is this. If you think you're good, then why did Jesus die? If we're all going to go to heaven, based on our merits and our goodness, then why do we need to be saved?10:55If there's no from what, then why would we ever call out to God, God save me? See, that's what's going on here. Before the people of God can understand the deliverance of the Lord in their life, they have to understand that they are rebellious, and they need to cry out, God, we are perishing. So in your life right now, what has God saved you from?11:23If you can't answer that question, maybe He hasn't saved you. I'll never forget the moment I was sitting, not in this church, but near that area, in a little country church in Mississippi. In the moment I realized that I was a sinful man, destined for an eternity away from God. And I didn't know this verse, but I wanted to cry out as verse 12,11:54God, I am lost. We're all lost. God, we are perishing. And that was a moment God said, Josh, I thought you'd never ask. But I sent my son to make a way for people like you. I sent my son to seek and save those who were lost. And the reality is, God did not send His son to save those who were good.12:22He sent His son to save the rebels, like me, and like you. So keep that in your mind as we walk through these scriptures together. We need to have Hebrews chapter 17 mindset as we look at the word of God. So here's our explanation. Verse 2. Speak to the Israelites and take one staff. The Hebrew metteh. Which it could mean a staff behind me.12:49It could mean simply a walking stick. But also the same word is used for the tribes, the leaders of the people of God. So not only is God asking them to symbolically take a stick, yes, but He's also asking them to take something that symbolizes the people of God. Now, what you would notice also in the ancient world, especially in ancient Babylon, that nobles would have a stick with some type of crest on it,13:18or they would write their name. It was part of their identity. So to have a staff was to say, I'm someone important. And God is saying, well, then leaders, you give your importance to God and we'll see who really is important in this community of faith. You see, what we truly have is a heavenly test in which Adonai has set up to reveal His will to the people.13:43Place your staff. This is not the plan of a man. This is the plan of God. So very clearly, take your staff and then 11 other ones, Aaron, 12 total, and we're going to put them before the ark, before the tent of meeting, and something supernatural is going to happen. So is this Moses' concoction? No.14:16No. No. I mean, if this was your plan, would you say, you know what, let's just take these dead sticks and we're going to put them in the church building, and then whichever one grows tonight, that's the man that God chooses. Now, I would have been very concerned if I were Moses. What happens if you go to the temple and nothing? There's no stick that sprouted. I don't know about you, but if that stick sprouts right now,14:42I don't know how I would react. I'm not staying up here at this point. It's the Exodus 3. Lord, we're standing in holy grounds. This is the plan of God to reveal the will of God to the people of God. And today, he still reveals his will to us. Maybe not through status, but he reveals his will through the word of God. There have been times in my life where I've opened up the word of God,15:13and I've read a passage of scripture, a verse, maybe a word, and I'm thinking, I don't need that right now. And then by the end of the day, I go back to God on my face and say, God, you knew before I knew what I would need in my time of need. God, thank you for revealing your will to me. God is still in the revealing business. If you don't know the plan and the will of God, do you know him first, or are you listening to the spirit within you? And so he gives the staff, and then he says this in verse 4 and 5,15:43place him in the tent of meeting, and the staff of the man I choose will sprout. Now, let's be honest. Anyone else think the staff's going to sprout? You know the end of the story, right? But what an odd test. Anyone else find this really strange? I mean, just think of this as the way we choose our deacons. Let's gather about 20 sticks, and the man's staff who blossoms, that's going to be our deacon.16:09Let me just say this. If his staff blossoms, he is a deacon. I am not going against the will of the Lord. What are these staffs then? Very clearly, this staff has been cut. And this actually has someone's name on it. I'm not going to reveal who that is. But this staff was cut. Meaning what?16:39Meaning what? It has been separated from its life source. It's a dead stick. It's no longer living. It's no longer abiding in the root of what it was. Now, some of you who grew up in the country like I did, you realize very quickly that you want a good staff that has been cut from a living tree, don't you? Don't pick up the stick that you found along the path, because it might be rotten. And this internal consistency will not be what you need.17:07And so the first time you fall down like I did as a young man, you realize that there are some sticks that are fit to walk, and there are some sticks that are not. Because once you're removed from your life source, you become dead. So this is a dead staff. Anyone want to argue that point? Okay, good. We'll keep going. This is what happens. God says in verse 5, take the dead stick and bring it before the people.17:34You see, only Yahweh can impart life to something that is dead. Only God, only the one true God can impart life to dead sticks. And we are no better than dead sticks spiritually. And only the saving grace of a life-giving God can make people who are dead rise again.18:03And if you think that's too good to be true, well, we're going to read the rest of the story today and go ask Lazarus. What happens when God looks in an empty tomb and says, Lazarus, come forth. When God speaks to dead things, they begin to sprout. They begin to live. And the reminder in my life right now is that if God is working in me through his Holy Spirit, I should be blossoming.18:29I should be producing. God doesn't leave us as sticks along the side of the road. God grafts us back into the vine to be productive for the kingdom. There's no such thing as a dead Christian. That's what happens when you don't have Christ. We are living. We are active. The next day, verse 8.18:57Moses entered the tent of the testimony and saw Aaron's staff. Now, let me read how Everett Fox translates this verse. He says it this way. And it had sprouted the staff of Aaron, of the house of Levi. It had put forth a sprouting flower. It had blossomed a blossom and it had ripened almonds.19:25To Moses' surprise in verse 8, he found not what he was expecting. It had more than sprouted. It had more than blossomed. It had more than flowered. It had ripened almonds. Now, this is the way I think. I know it's not always the right way, but I can't help it. That's the way I was born. If I were Moses, how tempted was he just to say,19:55Lord, let me get a taste. I love almonds. He probably dared not touch the staff. And what we find that it produced forth these things. One Old Testament scholar even suggests this. I love this picture. That we assume that it was just blossomed almonds on the staff. But one Old Testament scholar suggests that it had all four phases on it. That it had the buds.20:25It had the sprouts. It had the flowers. And it had the almonds. Can you imagine? We just assume that these are historical narratives and they won't happen today. Or we lose our excitement. What would happen if that stick sprouted right now? We would freak out. We would freak out. Would we not? And so can you imagine Moses' surprise going into the temple and saying, it has almonds on it.20:54Lord, what are you doing among us? And we should have the identical excitement about God's work in our life today. Are you excited about God working? Walking in the temple and saying, almonds? Why almonds? Lord, why not other pomegranates? Pineapples? We'll see that shortly. I want to make mention of what we see on the staff.21:25In verse 5, it says that it sprouted. In verse 8, that it blossomed. The Hebrew word is sis. S-I-S. Sis. And the words found other places of Scripture in very peculiar places. We find in Exodus, particularly Exodus chapter 28 and verse 36, that the high priest, Aaron, was to wear certain clothes.21:53He had to wear a hat. Not a trucker hat, but a turban. It was a turban. And on the turban, there was a plate on the front of the turban. And it's called in Hebrew a sis, a flowering thing. The exact wording used on the blossom here. And on the flowering thing, the plate, the sis on the front of his head,22:19read these words. Holy is the Lord. Can you imagine? Every person that would come in contact with the priest would see on his forehead, holy is the Lord. And we find out in the New Testament that God is still concerned about your foreheads. So really quick, just look to your neighbor's forehead and see if you can determine who they are. Don't say anything about the forehead.22:49Just look. Now those of you who like end times, I want you to listen to Revelation chapter 13. We see that there will be a day where the world becomes so far removed from the glory of Christ that it says that to buy and to sell, people will receive a mark on their forehead. The mark of man or the mark of the beast. And simply it's six, six, six.23:15Right there on your forehead. Now what we forget, you know, so most of us go overboard and say, they're going to put something, inject it in your skin and it's going to be the mark of the beast. Very clearly in Revelation is on your forehead. Not under your wrist. Well, it could be, we see in Deuteronomy, but on your forehead. But we forget the next verse of Revelation 14, verse one. Satan is not the only one concerned about your forehead. We see this in Exodus or Revelation 14, one.23:47That those in Jesus Christ will receive the mark of the Father's name written on their forehead. So what does that tell me? That every single person in Revelation will have some type of mark on their life. It will be the mark of man, your mark. I don't necessarily think it's going to be satanic. I think it's just the mark of selfishness. Because if you are not in Christ,24:15you are not of Christ. There's only two people in this world. Those who are followers of Christ and those who are not. We can't blame it on Satan. He can tempt us, but by our own evil desires, we are dragged away and enticed. And we give in to that. Or the mark of Jesus Christ. And I don't have any proof of this. This is my interpretation of Revelation. But I believe in every person's life right now, there's a mark on your forehead.24:43Spiritual mark. I believe that if you are in Christ, the demons can walk through this room right now. Hopefully they're going to be miserable. And they can look and say, man, Josh, I see the mark on his head. Holy is the Lord. And we can torment him, but he's not ours. Or we say, hey, there's so-and-so, 666. He's one of us. What mark are you bearing on your life?25:11What's your cysts, your flowering plate? You have something in your life that you're showing to the world. Either you're saying, holy is the Lord, or you're saying, holy is man. What does your life look like? Here's the danger. It's hard to see our own foreheads, isn't it? Right? Is anyone else that talented?25:40Who sees your forehead? Others. What do other people say about your life? Do they say that I am living a life that deems the Lord holy? Because he has sprouted something in my life? Or do they look at me and say, he's exalting man. He's living selfishly. What does your forehead say to the world?26:11May we live a life that says, holy is the Lord. Verse 8 again. It blossomed. It sissed. That's not Hebrew. That's English. And produced almonds. Why almonds? Why not figs? Which were common throughout of Israel. Why not pomegranates? Which were signs of royalty. Or pineapples. Or bananas. Did you know they grow bananas in Israel right now? That's how fertile the place is. Why not bananas? Well, there are other places in Scripture26:39where we have pictures of almonds. All throughout. It's highly symbolic and tremendously significant. You see, almonds were the first of the flowering plants after the winter. That's why they called it the watching plant because it watches for springtime. It's almost as if when you see the almond bloom that warm weather is right around the corner. So what we find in Scripture27:08is that there are places in the temple that are made with buds and almond-looking fruit on them. The lampstands, the candelabras in Scripture look like almonds. Why? And if you go back and read in Exodus, what you'll find with these oil lamps is that they were commanded to let them burn all night. All night long.27:37They were commanded to burn. Why? Why were the priests commanded to burn the light in the temple all night? To remind them, as Scripture says, be ready in season and out of season. The almond reminds us that we are to wake up, stay watchful, don't go to sleep, don't grow weary. There's a song called Wake Up, O Sleeper that says this.28:07I won't sing it to you. Although they told me last week that they accidentally did not mute my microphone when we were worshiping, so I sang. Whether you knew it or not, you heard me singing last Sunday. Hopefully it was quiet. Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead. Christ will shine on you. Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead. Christ has shined on you. This is a great reminder for those who lost an hour of sleep. The almond just reminds us, wake up.28:36Christians, wake up. Don't retreat. Don't run away. Are we being watchful as this almond blossom has commanded us to do? That's what God wants in your life. That's what God wants in your life. And you say, well, I've known Jesus for 90 years. I'm weary. Don't go to sleep yet. Don't go to sleep. It's not worth it. Rise up. Do something. Sprout. Glossom.29:07Glossom. Produce fruit. That's God's desire in your life. But what does this tell us about the Lord? When Moses walks in and it's, aha, almonds. What does this tell us about the one true God? It tells him that he will never go to sleep. That our God is always watching. It's the same imagery that the Lord gave to Jeremiah the prophet, is it not? Jeremiah, what do you see? And Jeremiah replies, well, I see a branch of an almond tree. And the Lord said to me, you have seen correctly.29:38For I watch over my word to accomplish it. The psalmist in Psalm chapter 121 says it this way. The Lord will not allow your foot to slip. Your protector will not slumber. I don't know where you are in your life. I was actually in the four years Brad was praying and I was kneeling and praying with you. But maybe you this week, you just feel like God has gone to sleep in your life. That you've been praying and you feel like God has not heard that.30:09Maybe the Lord has grown weary. He will not go to sleep. The Lord will not slumber. He does not delay. And so if you need to cry out to God right now, say, Lord, do you hear me? His answer is yes. He watches over his word. He watches over his people. There's a reason that it was the almonds and not a banana. And not a pomegranate. And not a fig. God is reminding his people, even though you are rebellious, I will still watch over you.30:37And as a rebellious person, that gives me hope. That gives me hope. So now you say, well, so what? Okay, I get it. You explained it well. Almonds, sticks, done. But pastor, this is not the wilderness. So what? I'm glad you asked. Let's turn to Hebrews very quickly. Hebrews chapter 10 for you.31:07And I'm going to begin reading in verse 4 of chapter 9. It's almost as if the Lord would knew that one day in Odinville, Alabama, that people would ask this question. God, what in the world does Numbers chapter 17 have to do with my life today? It's as if the writer of Hebrews has the scroll open to this specific passage. Listen to these words. Numbers, sorry, Hebrews 9 verse 4.31:36He said behind the second curtain, it had the gold altar of incense and the Ark of the Covenant covered with gold on all sides, in which was a gold jar containing the manna, Aaron's staff that budded, and the tablets of the Covenant. That was written after Jesus Christ.32:05That was written to those who had followed Jesus Christ. If you have followed Christ this morning, that was written for you and for me. And you say, okay, I find, okay, is this important? I get that. So, so what? So what? What does this matter in our life? I'm glad you asked. Verse 19 of chapter 10. This is why Aaron's staff is important vitally to us. Therefore, brothers and sisters, if you're in Christ, that's you.32:34Since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus Christ, he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain. That is, through his flesh. And since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed in pure water,33:03let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. And let us watch out for one another. Let us almond for one another, right? To provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other all the more as you see the day approaching. Why does this matter? Look at verse 1 of chapter 10. Because the staff, the law was a shadow of the good things to come.33:34The good things to come in Christ Jesus. So let me encourage you, because we have a better high priest, God instituted the Aaronic priesthood by the staff. He said, this is my will for the people of God. That there will be a mediator between man and the one true God.34:00So that way you don't have to cry out, we're lost, we're going to perish. Aaron was the mediator. But you see, even Aaron had to sacrifice for himself for his sins. And the Aaronic priesthood was participatory. It was almost like a congressional representative who votes on your behalf,34:25or should vote on your behalf to represent the people. Because on the robe of Aaron were the 12 names of the 12 tribes of the people. So when Aaron would come before God, he was coming as a representative for all the people. And in the same way, Jesus does that. But Jesus did not have to sacrifice for his own sins, because Jesus was perfect. Jesus was the perfect high priest.34:55The perfect son of God. And so you might think, well, why, if God loves us, then why does Jesus have to come to the Father on our behalf? It almost seems as if the Son of God is confronting the Father God on our behalf. Does God not love us as Jesus having to convince him? But certainly not. God has loved you from the beginning. While you were still sinner, Christ Jesus died.35:23But God is fully just, and he is holy on the forehead. Holy is the Lord. If your God is not holy, your God is not God. If your God is a loving God, and that's all he is, he's an image. He's a figment of your creation or my creation. If your God is a God of comfort and nothing else, do I have news for you. He's not God.35:54And so Jesus Christ dying on our behalf, fully God, fully representative, then God can be the justifier and the God of love and the holy God all in one. And so because of Christ Jesus, I want us to finish here and apply it to our life. Now remember what I said earlier. Nothing in Hebrews, nothing in number 17 makes sense unless you can answer this question.36:21Saved from what? Why does it matter that Jesus would die for me if you don't think you need it? Why do you need rescuing if you're content to drown? I had a conversation with a gentleman in the parking lot named Richard. I don't know if Richard is here today. Richard, if you are here, man, see me after the service. And I was talking to him in his vehicle.36:50After about five minutes, I said, Richard, if you were dying right now, what would happen? He said, well, I guess I would go to heaven. And I said, hey, friends, if you know Jesus Christ, there's no guessing. And I said, if you would confess your sins and realize you're lost, he would save you right now. And Richard looked at me, a man in probably his 50s, and said, I would like that. And so in the parking lot out back, there was no just as I am.37:20There was no every head bowed, every eye closed. In the front seat of his truck, he followed Jesus Christ. He answered, but God, I am lost, and I know you are the one who wants me found. And if that's you, if you are found today, let me give you some confidence in Christ, because he's our great high priest. He is the better Aaron in our lives.37:48Listen to what you have in Jesus. Circle this, highlight this. I don't know what you have to do, but don't forget this. Verse 19, since we have a great high priest, we have boldness. In the Greek, that means an openness or free expression. We have boldness to enter the throne of God. Boldness that the people of Israel did not have, because they knew he was holy,38:17and they knew that they could not. In Christ, you have boldness to come before the Lord. It's almost as if some of you have little kids. I have a four-year-old. She would not hesitate. If they let her loose right now, she would bound up through that aisle, run up the steps, and grab me. She doesn't care what I'm doing. Because she knows I'm not going to reprimand her. I'm not going to dress her down. I'm going to grab her like a daughter. And I'm going to say, honey, give me five minutes.38:47But she has a boldness to enter my presence, because she's mine. And if you are in Christ Jesus, you have a boldness to enter the throne room of the Most High God. Never lose that. A free, open expression. Not only that, in Jesus Christ. Look at verse 22. It says, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance.39:16Why? Our hearts sprinkled what? Sprinkled clean. If you knew my heart right now, you would realize it is not clean. But Jesus says, I'll take care of it. And Josh, what you might not realize, even in your moment of sin, I have taken care of it. And so God sees me through the lens of the one whose atoning death has washed me clean.39:43Nothing but the blood of Jesus. And so, yes, we see with our eyes our sinful man, but God sees through the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives. He sees the stamp on your forehead that you can't see. Sprinkled clean. Let us draw near with what? Full assurance. What does that mean?40:14Full assurance is a clear-headed confidence and stability that Christ is holding you on His behalf. If you are in Christ, you should boldly, with full assurance, come before God today. That's how we should respond. Say, God, thank you for what you have done. Verse 23. Not only that we can draw near with hearts sprinkled clean, but verse 23. Let us hold on to the confession of hope without wavering, since He who has promised is faithful.40:38John Wesley said that this describes the hope that you professed at your baptism. The same hope. And let me say this. Some of you have put your faith in Jesus Christ and you've never been baptized like God has commanded you to do. In April, we're going to have a baptism celebration service.41:05If you are in Christ, that is His will for your life. It is unequivocal. It is very clear. It is very clear. That is that your profession of faith is before the world saying, I have been washed clean already by the blood of the Lamb. What are you waiting for? The best time to obey Jesus is not tomorrow, it's right now. And we see this about holding on. And this is where the church world can make things murky in your life.41:31Because we say, just make a decision, make a decision, make a decision. Have you made a decision for Christ? If you've made a decision, then you can have confidence. That's not what the Word says. A belief is something that you hold on to. A conviction is something that holds on to you. It's not you holding on to Jesus Christ. It is Christ holding on to you. Think about that.42:01In verse 23, let us watch out. Sorry, let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering. Since what? Since He who is promised is faithful. When you trust in Jesus Christ, it's as if He grabs your hand like this. And even if your grip slips, His does not. Yes, we respond to the invitation of grace. But it's Christ who holds us fast. It's not like we're grabbing the coattails of Jesus and Satan's pulling you away,42:29hoping you can hold firm enough. Jesus is holding on to you. And saying, Satan, we've already been through this. You're not strong enough. And we might get bruised up in the fight, but He will not let you go. That is the hope. He says, verse 24, In the better Aaron, we can watch out for one another to provoke each other to love and good works.42:52Because of Jesus, we are greater than me. Only Christ can turn our selfish hearts towards one another. We can look out for each other. So in Christ, in the community of faith, my sin is your problem. Some of you are thinking, I did not sign up for that. And your sin is my problem. Why?43:22Why? Because we are to what? We are to watch out for one another. There is no evidence in Scripture of solo Christianity. There is no Chuck Norris Christian in the Bible who can do it all on his own. Not only do we need each other, that's how we are created. Designed by God. Look at verse 24. In verse 25, Not neglecting the gathering of yourselves together. He has knit us in Christ into a new community.43:52That's who you are. Church is not something I do or a place I go. If you are in Christ, church is who you are. So if we say, well, I don't go to church anymore. I'll say, well, why would you abandon the person that God has made you? Because that's who we are. I can never turn my back on you. You can never turn your back on me. Because God will never turn us back on us together.44:19That is hope. So let me end here.44:37I threatened our youth that they went to sleep. That was going to get Aaron's staff. The truth is that we're all dead sticks. You want to know where you are spiritually without Jesus Christ? This is a pretty good representative. Dead, lifeless, and only fit for the fire. But what does the word of God say? Listen to John 15. If anyone does not remain in me, he has thrown aside like a branch.45:07And he withers. They gather them and they throw them into the fire and they are burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want. Boldness, confidence in Christ. And it will be done for you. My father is glorified by this. My father is glorified by this. My father is glorified by this. That you produce much fruit. Let me give you number 17 language. That you would sprout. That you would blossom.45:36That you would flower. And that you would produce almonds. And prove to be my disciples. If you have never given your heart to Jesus Christ, you are nothing more but a stick. Dead. And fit for the fire. But the promise is that if you would turn from your sins today and turn to Jesus Christ, he will save you. You say, well, pastor, how can you be so sure? Because I stand upon the promises of God that he sent his only son.46:04But while I was still a sinner, Christ Jesus died for me. And that God, as we've heard today, can take dead sticks and graft them back into the true vine, Jesus Christ. And things which were dead will sprout. And things which were dead will bloom. And things which are dead will blossom. And the things that blossom will flower. If there is no spiritual fruit in your life, are you alive?46:33Check your heart. And if you find that you're dead today, Jesus can make you alive. Maybe you're here today and you finally need to approach the guy with boldness. You've been meek and timid because you just feel like you're not worthy. You're not, but he died to make you righteous. And maybe in our time of response, you need to come with boldness and say, God, thank you. God, I'll just sit here and raise my hands. I don't even know why I'm going to do it. It's weird.47:03It's weird. But I'm going to raise my hands because I can with boldness. You say I with boldness can come before your throne. And so, God, because of Jesus, here I am. Maybe right now you need to pray for fruit in your life. Maybe it's been a long time since you sprouted. And you need to start producing fruit, God's will for your life. How will you respond to the grace in the gospel today? If you're dead, you can be made alive. If you're alive, you should be living as those who are bold before the throne of God.47:30Let's pray. Father,← Previous in NumbersSunday, March 3, 2019Next in Numbers →Sunday, March 17, 2019More sermons on Numbers →
