SCRIPTURE: Numbers 16
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
“After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. [John 13:21,26]
Can you feel the sense of betrayal?
Here we have fellow leaders, Levites who shared in the calling and blessing of the Lord’s work, opposing Moses and Aaron.
And listen to Dathan and Abiram, they describe their bondage in Egypt as a land flowing with milk and honey.
Do they honestly think they were better off without God, without His help?
This whole passage oozes with grumbling and negativity, and if it was not for Moses’ mediation, God would have given up on the whole nation. Continue reading the cost of betrayal

SCRIPTURE: Numbers 15
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’” [Luke 22:19-20]
Numbers 15 describes how every sacrifice must be accompanied by a grain (bread) and drink (wine) offering.
I see this as sacramental, a symbolic picture of fellowship with God (pictured by a meal of bread and wine) restored through the death of the substitute.
I see the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper as symbol, like the grain and drink offering, of our fellowship with God. Continue reading to help us remember

SCRIPTURE: Numbers 14
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Jesus said, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” [John 15:4-5].
I see several important lessons in today’s reading from Numbers.
I see the poisonous effect of negativity and despair, and how many people are hurt because of it.
I see how God holds these poison spreaders accountable (see Luke 17:1-2]
I see the consequences of doubting God, missing out on the blessings He wants to share with us.
I see the patient grace of God in not giving up on Israel, but allowing their children to still inherit the blessing, despite their own refusal to believe.
And I see the folly of trying to do things without God, to move ahead into His mission without Him.
Its doomed to fail! Continue reading nothing… without Him

SCRIPTURE: Numbers 13
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. [Matthew 10:16]
Jesus spoke these words to His twelve disciples when He sent them on their first mission.
Moses could have said the same thing to the twelve tribes of Israel as they were preparing to enter Canaan.
The spies come back from their first foray into Canaan and confirm that it is a land flowing with milk and honey… and grapes!
But there are giants!
When Caleb suggests that they should go in faith, the others reply, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” [Numbers 13:31]. Continue reading grasshoppers beat giants

SCRIPTURE: Numbers 12
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” [Matthew 20:25-28]
In Numbers 11 we see the Spirit of the Lord resting on the 70 elders, to assist Moses in leading the people.
When two of them receive the Spirit in a different way, Joshua wants to clamp down on them, but Moses is not worried.
He is not looking for his own glory.
He wishes everyone was like him, filled with the Spirit [Numbers 11:26-30].
Apparently Moses was a very humble man [Numbers 12:3, did he write this verse in?].
This was not about him, it was about the Lord and His purpose! Continue reading the humble leader

by Edgar Guest

I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day;
I’d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way.

The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear;

And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs. Continue reading “Sermons We See”

SCRIPTURE: Numbers 11
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. [John 6:48-50]
This is not the first time the people have grumbled, but now the Lord punishes them.
Is He being harsh, or finally saying ‘enough!’
Up until this point the Lord has provided for all their needs – though not their wants.
No doubt about it, this was not a pleasure cruise (have you seen the food on those boats?).
This is an exodus, a journey through a wilderness to a place prepared, flowing with milk and honey.
But instead of looking forward, the people look back, and dream about how good it was in Egypt. Continue reading hungry for Jesus

SCRIPTURE: Numbers 10
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. [Matthew 24:30-31]
At the sound of the trumpet, God’s people are mobilized!
Jesus talks about something similar, about the end times.
At the sound of the trumpet, God’s people will be mobilized.
Sad to say, on that day, not everyone will follow! Continue reading the trumpet calls me now

SCRIPTURE: Numbers 9
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
And he said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.’ [Luke 22:15-16]
This reading talks about the Passover, and about how the glory cloud led the people through the wilderness.
God makes it plain that the Passover is for everyone, even the unclean and the foreigner.
It has a strong message of grace, forgiveness and freedom for all.
But that message is not disconnected from following God.
It is not cheap grace – do what you want, God will forgive you anyway!
To receive grace, forgiveness and freedom, the people need to follow Him.
And the path that He leads us on will not always be easy. Continue reading following the Jesus cloud

SCRIPTURE: Numbers 8
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’ [Matthew 9:36-38]
God had compassion on Israel, and provided them with leaders and workers.
Jesus has compassion on the crowds, and raises up leaders and workers (apostles and disciples). Continue reading we are His workers