Are you a quitting Christian?

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 12 JANUARY 2025 – MR REUBEN LYONS

NUMBERS 11 VERSES 1 TO 25

As we enter into a new year there are many things we could say of the year past.  Maybe for you personally it was a wonderful year as a family or maybe it was a hard year with lots of hardship.  We could talk of the presidential election, changes in climate.  For many it was the year of sports – all different events in football, rugby and cricket.  2024 was the year of the Olympics.  They say the Olympics brings the whole world together. During the Olympic Games the eyes of the world are on you.  People turn to the sports to watch and get on board with their nation.  30 years ago in 1992 the Olympics took place in Barcelona.    For one man his eyes were drawn to the 400 metres.  That man was Derek Redmond.   He set his eyes on going all the way, to winning the final.  He wanted to win the gold medal, to raise the flag for his country.  He made it to the semi finals and got off to a phenomenal start out of the blocks.  He could see the final run when disaster struck.  He felt a sharp pain up his right leg and fell face first into the ground.  Medical staff rushed to him but he got up and hopped on one leg.  A man came running from the stands – Jim his father.  He told his son “you don’t have to do this, you have done us proud, done our country proud” to which the son replied “no I need to go on, I need to finish well.”  The father said “well then we will finish together.”  He may not have won the gold medal that day but he had the memory of a father who helped him run the race together.

In our passage Moses came to an end, he was ready to quit leading the people of Israel the Promised Land.  He failed to see what we also fail to see – there will be pain and hardship but we need to keep going on because our Father is with us just as Jim was with his son.  We need to say in the race and run it with endurance.  Are you a quitting Christian today?

First – we see Moses’ challenge – verses 1 to 10

Second – we see Moses’ conversation – verses 11 to 15

Third – we see Moses’ cost – verses 16 to 25

Moses’ challenge – verses 1 to 10

Discouragement and pain had come into the life of Moses. The burden of leading the people of Israel.  He had followed the command of God on his life.  Verses 1 to 3 the people were not an easy people. They were a challenging people, hard to be get along with, hard to lead in the right direction.  Someone once said “where there are people there are problems.”  Problems abounded in the people of Israel.  They were nothing but complainers.  We can often be like that.  These people had been led out of Egypt but they never seemed to be satisfied, nothing was good enough for them.  Fear surrounded these people.  It affects your attitude, your outlook on life.  It was affecting Moses, he was overwhelmed by what was before him.  These problems seem to be prominent in different churches even today.  We can read about it in the early church, Philippi for instance.  It is the issue of unity.  How do we deal with the problems of people?  I am a person who likes things very structured, in order.  I plan out my day and the week ahead so that I know what I am doing and when.  In that way I get things done.  But how do we get on with people who are difficult?  I follow 3 simple rules – firstly simply love them like Jesus loved them.  Jesus himself told us to love your neighbour as yourself.  Secondly, forgive them for anything or everything they have done.  Ephesians 4 verse 32 says “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”  Thirdly pray for them – pray for wisdom, for patience and for love.  That is what we need to do  It is not easy to do but it is what God has called us to do.  For Moses the people’s problem was the food was not good enough.  Verses 4 to 9 - manna was the food that had been provided by God for the people. The original meaning of the word manna was the question – what is it?  That is the question the Israelites now asked.  They were in confusion.  Manna was the miracle provided by God.  Exodus 16 verse 15 shows that it was bread from heaven.  A wonderful sign of God’s provision for his people.  Much time had passed from Exodus 16 to Numbers 11.  The people grew tired, they wanted something different for their palette.  It is the same way the health craze hits at the beginning of the year, we have become fed up with chocolates, cakes and biscuits.  We want something more healthy, salad instead of chocolate.  For the first week it is Ok then it comes to a few weeks later when we want sugar again.  These people had those same cravings.  They talked about food they had in Egypt – cucumber, melons, leeks, garlic.  They wanted their manna to have the same flavour.  They yearned for such food and just like a child screwing up its face at the food given to it, hundreds of thousands of people were doing the same before Moses.  The manna was not what they envisioned as food from God.  God’s provision may not be in the timing we want but in God’s it is perfect.  He will provide and lead us through the wilderness.  The people might not have always enjoyed what God provided but we never read that they starved to death.  God provided for their needs.  Verse 10 – notice the final word – “displeased”.  We all know what that means.  Moses had come to the end of his tether.  He was discouraged and defeated.  He was on the verge of burn out, a break down.  The problems we face in life can result in the same burn out, a break down.  That can damage our walk with the Lord.  We often read of bible characters and believe they are greater than us but they were still prone to weakness.  Think of Moses, Elijah, David and Jonah.  We could talk of all their weaknesses.  Here we see Moses became consumed with earthly challenges.  He lost his perception of how great God is.  He took his focus off God through this incident.  God fights the battles and we get to enjoy the victory in his name.  Warren Wiersbe said “Nothing paralyses our lives like the attitude that things can never change.  We need to remind ourselves that God can change things. Outlook determines outcome. If we see only the problems, we will be defeated; but if we see the possibilities in the problems, we can have victory.”  We need to look at the problems through the reality of what is to come.  The Lord is still providing today.  We can have the victory in his name today.

Moses’ conversation – verses 11 and 12.  Moses is totally confused in how God is with him.  It was not answered prayer in the way he felt appropriate.  He asks one question – why.  They are not my problem, they are your people.  Why is it me that has to bear the burden of these complaining people?  We fail to grasp the why of God’s work.  Why God does certain things.  We become so consumed by our present circumstances and fail to see what it was we are complaining about.  It was God’s responsibility.  In Exodus 3 God told Moses to lead his people out of Egypt and through the wilderness.  It was not his job to feed them.  That was God’s job.  Isn’t it true we often find ourselves asking ourselves “Lord why me?”  Why is this happening to me? Why is the Lord allowing this to happen?  We don’t have all the answers.  Instead of approaching God with why, we must ask him “why not me?”  Jesus told us to expect problems in this life.  Job said “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.”  Why do we think we have a VIP pass through the troubles of life?  We should simply be giving thanks through the circumstances of life.  Joseph is an example of Romans 8 verse 28.  Let us take heart – the Lord is using these dark and sinful days to grow and prepare us for the work in the future.  We should be asking God “what is the lesson you want me to learn here? What do you want to teach me through your precious word?” In verse 12 we see there was a place of confessing.  Admitting he was weak and feeble, not perfect.  This man knew he was unable to provide for his people.  It was no easy task to admit that he was weak and dependent on God.  The world today is all about a “do it yourself” attitude, you don’t need anyone else just you, yourself and a brain.  In such a situation we will fail to know and experience God’s power.  It is wonderful to humble ourselves and recognise we are unable to do it all by ourselves.  Our lives will be far better for it.  If your heart is met today not because of me and what I say or do but the Lord must do these works.  There is only one who is able, who is working behind the scenes.  Like Moses we might be overwhelmed by life.  I am often reminded in prayer that I serve a God who is able.  No matter how we are serving the Lord today, whatever gifting he has given you, you are not able in your own strength.  We should remind ourselves of that each day.

 

“God and God alone

Created all these things we call our own

From the mighty to the small

The Glory in them all

Is God’s and God’s alone.

 

God and God alone

Is fit to take the universe’s throne

Let everything that lives

Reserve it’s truest praise

For God and God alone

 

Steve Green – God and God alone

 

God is able to meet with you today, to take a dealing with you.  You don’t have the strength but he does.  Let us witness what is ultimately given to God from Moses.  Verse 15  Moses is now saying “get me out of this mess, I want you to end my life.”  Human weakness had taken hold of him again.  He knew he had to give God an ultimatum.  It is never right to quit on God.  Quitting doesn’t work.  Many have tried to take themselves off the spiritual battle field.  It doesn’t work and it doesn’t please God.  We need to seriously get our lives in order.  No backing down.  No quitting.  To be faithful to him in all things.  We need to realise like Moses that God is able.

 

The cost for Moses – verses 16 to 25.  Instead of being the sole leader appointed by God he had to share leadership with 70 elders.  His burden was lightened and shared around.  Moses had been called to be the leader but now his position was no longer what it once was.  God anointed these men for his work – verse 25.  The Spirit that was on Moses was now given to 70 elders. He was not a lesser servant of God but he had less potential.  He had already everything he needed to get the job done.  Instead of looking to the Lord he had lost so much.  We need to be wary of this.  The Lord may remove his hand of blessing on your life.  You may feel unequipped.  If you know him as Saviour today you have all you need to fight the battle.  If you are a quitting Christian he will give another the blessing.  If we quit the Lord will use someone else.  What will you do today?  Will you throw in the towel or submit to the Lord, to his leading.  One thing Moses did right – he turned to the Lord in his crisis.  Is that what you need today?  Restoration, forgiveness and salvation?  Is that what you need? The Lord is able to hold you.  He will solve your problems.  He has brought you thus far and as you embark on this new year submit to him once more.  God blesses those who honour him.  Will you allow him to do that today?