Sermon Tone Analysis

*Thomas** S. Myers*

 

*OVERCOMING OBSTACLES BY FAITH*

*Exodus 17** & Numbers 20*

 

            In 1969 our nation performed an incredible task.

It sent a group of men to walk on the moon.

It takes a great deal of energy to creak the barrier of gravity and to send a space ship to the moon and back.

There is also a barrier that every believer must break, it the barrier of unbelief.

To crack the barrier of gravity, it took a great deal of speed.

But to break the barrier of unbelief it does not require speed, but simply standing still.

There is no work, no movement involved at all, trusting the Lord.

We have a place of strength, a place stability, a place of power that is ours by faith.

No matter what happens, no matter how difficult the circumstances, not matter how great the pressure, we can have "the peace of God that surpasses  all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

It is possible to have inner peace in the presence of outer tabulation.

As we come to Exodus 17, the children of Israel have an opportunity to trust God.

God has promised to take the Jews into the promised land.

But in stead of trusting God their hearts are bent on grumbling.

*FIRST -- THE TEST OF FAITH.*

The test of faith is this:  Will we trust God in the time of adversity, or will we grumble.

*A.

THE SOURCE OF GRUMBLING*

 

*Philippians 2:14** *

1*4 **Do everything without complaining or arguing, (NIV)*

 

            The source of grumbling is the devil himself.

He is the author of all sin.

*B.

THE RESULT OF GRUMBLING*

 

            The result of grumbling often leads to illness.

*1** Corinthians 10:10** *

*10** **And** do not grumble, as some of them did -- and were killed by the destroying angel.

(NIV)*

*James** 5:9** *

*9 **Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged.

The Judge is standing at the door!

(NIV)*

 

*Ephesians 4:31-32** *

*31** **Get** rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

(NIV)*

 

*C.

THE PURPOSE OF TRIALS.*

*Deuteronomy 8:2-3** *

*2** **Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.

3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

(NIV)*

  

            In Exodus 17, we come to a crisis that the children of Israel experienced.

They came to a place where there were very thirsty and there was absolutely no water.

The question is, will they believe that God will meet their need, or will they grumble?

Now remember God has met their every need.

They have been miraculously delivered from slavery.

God opened the path  through the Red Sea.

But in Exodus chapter 17, the children of Israel face an issue which every believer must sooner or later face in their life.

If you as a believer, have trusted Jesus Christ for salvation, can you trust God to deliver you as you enter the difficulties in life?

Can you trust God to meet your problems, and the difficulties in life?

As we enter Exodus 17, the children of Israel have come to what appears to be a problem that seems to be to overwhelming.

Lets take a look at it.

*EXODUS 17:1*

*1 **The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded.

They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.

(NIV)*

 

            Notice that from VERSE 17, it says, *"AS THE LORD COMMANDED."*

That is, God led them into the desert where there was not a drop of water.

Can you imagine, 2 million plus people and not a drop of water?

And yet they were in God's perfect will.

Have you ever heard someone say, "Once you accept Jesus Christ you will never have trouble again?"

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

The fact is that when you accept Christ, although you possess eternal life you will still have trouble, but you will also have the means of meeting every problem and every difficulty.

Sooner or later, God bring every believer into a desert.

And every believer must face a set of circumstances where the situation is bleak and hopeless, where there is no human solution.

That is exactly what God did with the Children of Israel.

The Hebrew word for *"WILDERNESS"* is desert, meaning just wasteland, barren land, dry sand and yet God led them into this dry desert place.

Now God permitted this for one purpose.

God was saying to Moses generation as He is saying to us, "Will you trust me?"

You have trusted Jesus Christ for salvation.

You have believed in Jesus Christ and have received Him as your Savior.

That was the greatest thing that God has ever done for you, for it cost Him His Son.

The Bible puts it this way:

* *

*Romans 8:32** *

*32 **He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all -- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

(NIV)*

 

            The point is this, If God did the most for you when you did not even know Him in a personal way, now that you do know God in a personal way, God will do even more to meet your needs.

There is only one thing that God requires from you right now.

Will you trust Him?

For this very purpose God has given us promises in writing.

He has given us promises which will stabilize us in the time of the desert.

Now in Exodus chapter 17, I wish we would read, "So the children of Israel knelt down and prayed asking God to abundantly supply water."

That would have been wonderful if they had prayed such a prayer.

However, instead of praying, they hit the panic button.

Look at verse 2. 

 

*Exodus 17:2** *

*2 **So** they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink."

Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me?

Why do you put the LORD to the test?" (NIV)*

 

            How often do we get upset and fall apart and get disturbed when things do not go our way?

Just as these are God's people, so are we.

If there are any people on the face of the earth who ought to exhibit peace, joy and strength in the time of adversity it is the believer.

But just the opposite happens.

Notice the word* **"quarreled" *in verse 2. * * The word means to gripe, to complain or to criticize.

They hit the panic button.

They cried out, *"Give us water to drink."*

What did they think Moses was going to do?  Pull a lake out of a hat?