STUDIES FROM BRETHREN IN CHRIST

SERMON MENU SELECTIONS

2/15/2009 ~ Look to Salvation


... and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. ...
~ Numbers 21:4-9


┌─> Within a year.     
Israelites were close to entering the Promised Land.
~ After seeing all the wonders and miracles they were miserable.
● Though tough, one must serve God over self.


A BITTER HEART = A DISTANT HEART

"... but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all
except this manna before our eyes!" ... ~ Numbers 11:4-10


" '... you have despised the LORD who is among you, and have wept before Him,
saying, "Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?" ' " ~ Numbers 11:18-20


... these forty years ... to humble you and test you, ... fed you with manna ...
make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; ... ~ Deuteronomy 8:2-6


Not being thankful for what the Lord has given
~ and desire for more leads to despondency.


Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart
of unbelief in departing from the living God; ... ~ Hebrews 3:12-13


... So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
~ Hebrews 3:17-19


.... since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear
lest any of you seem to have come short of it. ~ Hebrews 4:1


Either one is a loyally waiting on the Lord or contrarily objecting.

"... and our soul loathes this worthless bread." ~ Numbers 21:5

~ They called manna worthless bread.
They had become despondent; miserable and unthankful.


Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord! ~ Psalm 27:14


"Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, ..."
~ Joshua 24:14-15


... for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: ...
~ Philippians 4:10-13


Faith is what delivers you, not your circumstance.
Regardless of the physical condition, serve God unto eternal life.


So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they
bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. ~ Numbers 21:6

They died after having died a spiritual death. <─┘             

An ungrateful heart sees not God.

Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His saints. ~ Psalm 116:15

You don’t want to be lost in the eleventh hour.

Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, ...
~ 2nd Timothy 2:22


Some people never overcome; unrepentant sinners

... "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray
to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us." ... ~ Numbers 21:7


For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again,
But the wicked shall fall by calamity. ~ Proverbs 24:16


... Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, ... ~ Psalm 32:1-5

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart
- These, O God, You will not despise. ~ Psalm 51:17


The Lord waits for our humble return to Him.

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray
for one another, that you may be healed. ~ James 5:16


... "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that
everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live." ~ Numbers 21:8


Instructions were given to the Israelites where to look for salvation.

"... as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man
be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish ..." ~ John 3:10-15


Our problem is sin.  
● Christ became sin for us that we might find life through Him.
└─> If we don’t look to Him, we will not be saved.                     


"... whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
~ John 3:16


... the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and
the weakness of God is stronger than man. ~ 1st Corinthians 1:18-25


  Christ crucified   →   Jews request a sign =   Stumbling Block  
  Christ crucified   →   Greeks seek wisdom   =   Foolishness

If faith doesn’t do enough for you, you are blind in your ignorance.

   Message of the Cross   → who believe =   POWER of GOD  
   Message of the Cross   →   those perishing   =   Foolishness

God’s Choice:
FOOLISHNESS = STRENGTH

Will you look to a crucified Jesus?

"... He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said,
out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." ~ John 7:37-38


"... but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.
But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water
springing up into everlasting life." ~ John 4:12-14


... I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. ...
~ Revelation 21:6-8


"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled." ~ Matthew 5:6


God’s word is a bottomless fountain of truth.

~ The Israelites were given a certainty to look to  
in the wilderness, that they would be saved.


... made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had
bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. ~ Numbers 21:9


Are we satisfied with what God gave us?
~ Is Christ enough for you?  
He has richly given us His glory for salvation.


No more can be given.



 

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