5. Pastures Community Church 30 th August 2015 Numbers 20:1-13

6. What lessons can we learn from this passage?

7. v1. In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried. v2. Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron.

8. Lesson 1. God’s people are not immune from sadness or hardship.

9. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

10. v3. They quarrelled with Moses and said, ‘If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! v4. Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? v5. Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no corn or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!’

11. Lesson 2. God has said He will provide for His people and it is wrong when we forget this.

12. Matthew 6:25-26 ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

13. v6. Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell face down, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. v7. The Lord spoke to Moses.

14. Lesson 3. God is still gracious, even when we fail Him.

15. John 21:17 The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.

16. v8. ‘Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so that they and their livestock can drink.’

17. Lesson 4. God does not always work in exactly the same way.

18. John 9:6-7 After saying this, he spat on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ‘Go,’ he told him, ‘wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (this word means ‘Sent’). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

19. v9. So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him.

20. Lesson 5. God expects absolute obedience from His people, especially their leaders.

21. Hebrews 13:17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

22. v10. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, ‘Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?’ v11. Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

23. Lesson 6. We must never think we can add anything of our own strength to God’s work.

24. John 18:9-11 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter, ‘Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?’

25. v12. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust in me enough to honour me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.’ v13. These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarrelled with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.

26. Lesson 7. There are always consequences when we disobey God.

27. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. God will forgive our sin if we confess it, but there is no “turning the clock back”.

28. Summary: God uses ordinary, fallible men to lead His people They are accountable to Him for their actions If we do not follow His directions precisely, we will miss out