The Sunday service centers on the passing of Emily Yasson who moved on to be with the Lord a few days ago. The second part of the message is the conclusion of an excursion into Exodus to look at the antetypes and symbols that point to the coming of Jesus.

Next Week: New Testament church life contextualized.

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Exodus – Water from the Rock – October 5, 2008

I. Moses was called “friend of God.” (Exodus 33.8-11).

A.    His relationship was a type of Christ’s relationship with His Father.

B.    God’s intention for His people is intimacy.

1.     They properly feared; they did not trust His mercy (Deuteronomy 5.23-29).

2.     “Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets…” (Numbers 11.29).

3.     “I will put my law within them…they shall be my people (Jeremiah 31.33).

C.    A foreshadowing of the relationship the people are to have.

1.      John 15.15: No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

2.      In John 16.26-27, ” In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.

3.     In John 17 Jesus said, “they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us…”

4.     Abba! Father! (Romans 8.15).

II. Looking at this section from New Testament vantage point (1 Corinthians 10.4).

A.    The wilderness experience is for our education.

1.     The rock is a type of Christ, which makes the lesson of Numbers more significant.

2.     Picture of Jesus on the rock of Calvary waiting to be struck.

B.    Forty years later. Numbers 20.8-11.

1.     This is a parallel event to Exodus 17 with a different instruction.

2.     Moses is told to “speak to the rock.”

C.    If the rock is a type of Christ then…

1.     Christ poured out life at the cross-he was struck down.

2.     Christ pours out life by request thereafter-ask and it shall be given.

D.    Moses disobeyed and God responds decisively.

1.     Was God being picky?

2.     God teaches by obedience.

3.     God can teach via consequences for disobedience.

4.     Learning by comparison or by contrast.

(a)  We can learn from good parents.

(b)  We can learn to avoid the mistakes of bad ones.

Final thoughts on contentment and the beginning of the story of Moses bringing water from the rock.

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Exodus 17: Water from the Rock-September 28, 2008

I. Two sides of a contented heart.

A.    A contented heart is a courageous heart.

1.     Mastering fear and worry.

2.     Practicing confidence and trust.

B.    A contented heart is a glad heart.

1.     Counting ourselves blessed.

2.     Refusing lust (who are you tempted from?)

II. Summary of God’s provision of water (Exodus 17.1-7).

A.    This is another of those events with a “three layer meaning.”

B.    They were at a place of need because of God (v. 1).

1.     They journeyed “in stages” meaning they moved periodically.

2.     God would have known the place was dry.

3.     There is a relationship between place and provision.

C.    Moses was in fear for his life (v. 4).

1.     The people “tested the Lord” ie, they doubted.

2.     Moses was legitimately afraid of the mob.

(a)  They were afraid for their children.

(b)  They were afraid for their livelihood.

(c)  Illus: there is danger when people are in need.

3.     Once again Moses cries out to God.

D.    God answers the need of the people.

1.     Provides for the people.

2.     Vindicates Moses

3.     Validates His sovereignty.

III. Some lessons from Rephidim.

A.    God responds to the test.

1.     Since they doubt He does the impossible: Water from a rock.

2.     Since they oppose Moses He responds to the authority of Moses’ staff.

(a)  Strikes with power to bring death to Egyptians.

(b)  Power to bring life to the Israelites.

3.     Since they doubted God was with them, He leads Moses outside the camp to a place out from among them.

4.     Since they doubt their destiny He comes to Horeb where He called Moses.

B.    God tells Moses that He will be at the rock (v. 6).

1.     “I’ll meet you at the rock.”

2.     Moses’ relationship with God was personal, unlike the people.

(a)  A “face to face” relationship with the Creator.

(b)  That means an interpersonal relationship. Interactive context.

(c)  Hebrew describes proximity. Appears 1938 times in OT in various forms .

* 86 time translated “front”

* 259 times translated “face.”

* 868 times translated “before.”

The message of Exodus 15 and 16 works its way into Jesus’ teaching and into the life of the church. A discussion of trust, obedience and contentment.

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Contentment: Lesson from Exodus 16

I. The lessons of the manna and the quail.

A.    Review: Multiple application of historical events.

1.     Immediate needs of the people.

2.     Prophetic fulfillment.

3.     Spiritual lesson.

B.    Need: Food and water are provided by God.

C.    Fulfillment: The lesson of the coming savior (John 6).

1.     Jesus: I am the bread that comes down from heaven.

2.     My blood is true drink.

(a)  Fulfills the sacrificial blood of offering.

(b)  His blood is life-giving by the cross (tree) Compare water at Marah.

D.    Spiritual lesson: God will provide what we need.

1.     He can be trusted with our daily needs.

2.     We ought to be confident and content in that.

II. The lesson of trust replays throughout Biblical history.

A.    The greed of the Israelites is a cautionary tale.

1.     It recreates the sin of the Garden of Eden.

(a)  Our first parents had what they needed.

(b)  They took what they wanted.

(c)  The wages of sin is death.

2.     Evidence of the same greed appears in Israel’s experience.

(a)  Tried to hoard the manna.

(b)  Took more of the quail than they needed.

(c)  The place was called “The Graves of the Greedy.”

B.    What does the lesson look like in the Gospels? (Luke 12.13-34)

1.     The admonition against covetousness (v. 13-15)

(a)  Covetousness takes many forms.

(b)  Abundance of possessions does not equal fulfilled life.

2.     The parable of the rich man. (v. 16-21)

3.     The instruction to the disciples regarding worry (v. 22-34)

4.     Don’t forget the Lord’s Prayer: Give us this day our daily bread.

C.    What does the lesson look like among the disciples? Contentment.

1.     Paul writes in Philippians 4.11-13.

2.     Again to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6.6-8.

III. Contentment is our application of the lessons of Exodus.

A.    The antidote for greed when it’s so easy to be tempted by.

1.     Abundant gratitude.

2.     Extravagant generosity.

B.    Contentment is the condition of the expectant heart.

1. Illus: giving gifts to children who bicker and complain results in taking away the gift.

2. Illus: a child who is responsible for a gift can be trusted with  more.

Some New Testament thoughts on hospitality  and a continuation of the study through Exodus.

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Part 1: (Body Life) Refresh, Welcome & Have Fellowship with One Another

I. Have fellowship with one another (1 John 1.7).

A.    Literally “common.”

1.     That which is in formal or ‘common.’

2.     Greek New Testament was common Greek…for the simple folk.

B.    To share an experience mutually.

C.    To share resources among a group.

D.    Partnership. Comrades.

II. Show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4.9).

A.    The word appears two ways in the New Testament.

1.     The word “to love people.” Brotherly kindness (philoxenia).

2.     The word means to receive, take hold of, (xenodocheo).

(a)  To receive like a child.

(b)  The disciples were ‘received’ on their journey.

B.    The mark of Christians is love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

C.    The open heart and open home.

III. Refresh and comfort the saints (2 Corinthian 7.13).

A.    Comfort means to come along side and help (paraklesis).

B.    To cause to rest.

1.     It means to cease to move, ie, “cool one’s jets.”

2.     To be calm or to calm down.

Part 2 – Exodus 16; Numbers 11.

I. Manna and meat (Exo. 16.8-13; Num. 11.18-35).

A.    When did the quail incident happen?

1.     The verses in Exodus occurred about two months after Egypt.

2.     The story in Numbers happened about two years after Egypt.

B.    Two possible explanations

1.     They were two separate but similar events.

2.     The Exodus account is organized categorically.

(a)  Chronological isn’t the only order that the bible uses.

(b)  Sometimes the scriptures are organized categorically, grouping things according to the purpose of what is being written.

(c)  Theme of Exodus 16: God’s faithfulness; the people’s lack of trust.

C.    I’m inclined to choose the latter.

II. The circumstances leading up to God’s provision of meat (Numbers 11.8-13).

A.    The people get tired of manna.

1.     Adequate nourishment.

2.     Not much variety.

B.    The mixed multitude begins the grumbling (v. 4).

1.     Grumbling is like a virus, it spreads.

2.     The Israelites also took up the chorus (v. 5-6).

III. The complaint against God’s provision.

A.    Manna was adequate nourishment.

B.    They wanted variety.

C.    Grumbling causes a burden on Moses (v. 11).

1.     Grumbling is tiring.

2.     Rarely productive or edifying.

3.     It is the opposite of “building up.”

D.    Moses also complains about his own circumstances (v. 11-15).

IV. God responds with abundance.

A.    God responds with abundance to Moses (v. 16-17; 24-30).

1.     God’s Spirit is portioned to others as well.

2.     This is a prophetic foreshadowing of the giving of the Spirit (v. 29; Acts 2).

B.    God responds to the grumbling of the people.

1.     Moses doubts (v. 22-23).

2.     God’s “punitive provision.”

C.    Here comes the quail!

1.     The wind was an unusual condition (v. 31).

2.     The people gathered more than needed.

(a)  Worked pretty hard for what was clearly abundant!

(b)  Ten homers = about nine 55 gal drums.

V. There is a price to be paid for what we want when we already have what we need.

A.    It appears that the issue here is those people who exhibited greed. There may have been those who were faithful (v. 34).

B.    God displeased.

1.     Lack of trust in his provision.

2.     Because of their greed.

(a)  Accumulation is not good.

(b)  Placed called “the graves of greediness” (v. 35).

C.    A plague comes upon a greedy people.

1.     God judges greed and mistrust.

2.     The price for getting what we want.

(a)  Psalm 78 is an account of the failings of Israel in the wilderness.

(b)  Psalm 106.14-15 The cost of getting what we want: leanness of soul.

D.    What is the cost of pressing beyond what we need?

We welcome a guest, Tali Iijima, who brings the element of worship with dancing into the gathering. The Bible message is taken from Exodus 15, the story of the Israelite’s encounter with adversity at Marah.

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Let the Challenges Begin (Exodus 15:22-27)

I. The passing through the Red Sea is a type of Baptism.

A.    Various symbols of the Red Sea event.

1.     Signifies leaving an old life.

2.     Signifies following the Messiah.

3.     Signifies being identified with a new people.

4.     Signifies the beginning of training for the promised land.

II. What’s next, Moses? (v. 22 – 27).

A.    God did not take them on a direct route to the Promised Land.

B.    The joy of victory begins to fade on a three-day walk (v. 22).

1.     No map.

2.     No water.

C.    Elevated hopes vs. crushing disappointment (v. 23-24).

1.     Water! We’re saved!

2.     Eyuk! This tastes awful!

3.     How do people deal with the “emotional roller-coaster”?

D.    How soon we forget the hand of God.

1.     They saw the power of God but they doubted His love.

(a)  Remember their doubt of Moses? Are you going to kill us as the Egyptian

(b)  The same concern is now their attitude before God.

2.     Does this kind of thing happen in churches? Yup!

III. God’s intention is to train His people.

A.    Though the people were walking in victory, they were to face testing.

B.    This is a picture of personal faith experience and of church life.

C.    Testing, training, and temptation always follows baptism.

1.     The enemy will attempt to pursue by temptation

2.     God will offer you opportunity to trust.

3.     Such opportunities train us for righteousness.

D.    This experience becomes a statute and an ordinance (v 25).

1.     The people were given an opportunity to trust.

2.     God gives them the pattern of what they can expect from Him.

3.     Their behavior is measured against the His demonstrated pattern of faithfulness.

E.     What are the parameters of the test of the people (v. 26).

1.     Did they “give earnest heed”?

2.     Did they act accordingly-active faith.

3.     I will heal and deliver.