Amen. Right, so Numbers chapter 11, and let's look at verse 1 again, that's our
verse of the week, Numbers 11 and verse 1, which reads and when the people
complained it displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it and his anger was
kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed them that were
in the uttermost parts of the camp. Now when I read Numbers 11 I feel to flick
back to chapter 10 to see what I missed. I don't know if you've ever done this
before but sometimes you know especially when I first was reading through the
Bible I get to Numbers 11 and I think what's just happened in Numbers 10?
Well the answer is nothing. They've been in the wilderness you know of Sinai by
Mount Sinai receiving the many commandments from the Lord. The book of
Leviticus is covering all of these different statutes and ordinances and
commandments then at the end of chapter 10 it says this in verse 33, chapter 10
and verse 33 says, and they departed from the mount of the Lord three days
journey and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three
days journey to search out a resting place for them. And the cloud of the
Lord was upon them by day when they went out of the camp and it came to pass when
the ark set forward that Moses said rise up Lord and let thine enemies be
scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee and when it rested he
said return o Lord unto the many thousands of Israel. So it's all kind of
looking good at this point then suddenly chapter 11 begins with this
where we just read chapter 11 of verse 1 then just out of nowhere says and when
the people complained it displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it and his anger
was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed them that
were in the uttermost parts of the camp. The title of my sermon today is stop
complaining, stop complaining. I'd like to pray before we continue with this
message. Father thank you for your word thank you for the great examples you
give us in scripture of the sort of behavior that we want to avoid and the
repercussions for that. Please help me to preach this message that you've put on
my heart just loudly and clearly and boldly and accurately help everyone to
have attentive ears to what you've got to say Lord and really want to you know
apply it to their lives going forward from this day. Lord Jesus' name for all this
Amen. Right now just in case anyone's wondering this isn't what some might call a
reactionary sermon so in case you look around going right who's at it now is it
is the church murmuring and complaining? Not that I'm really aware of I don't think we
have a problem about or at least anymore I don't think we have this sort of
problem right now I don't think that as far as I'm aware maybe other people are
sitting here going little do you know yeah but I don't think we do so it's not
that sort of sermon it's actually a sermon I ultimately I want people to
apply to their whole lives okay it's not just about church life as well because
complaining is a problem yeah and complaining is something that I don't
know there used to be an old saying in England which was sort of mustn't
grumble and I think that's kind of gone out the window for most in this country
I think it's more sort of you know must grumble you know people are just
complaining and finding fault and problems with everything almost like you
know you're showing your boldness I was saying this someone earlier almost like
you're kind of displaying your boldness by complaining you know and you better
complain you better have a problem with this and have a problem with that but
that's not how God wants us to be we're gonna look at that we're gonna look at
that with this sermon now where we are in numbers a level one here it feels
like like I said this complaining is out of nowhere you just suddenly go to
numbers eleven one and it's like whoa what will suddenly happen here God
suddenly burning them up yeah and you know what's even happened well it's not
actually out of nowhere because the children of Israel already have a
history of this okay and go back to Exodus 14 where they've just finished
the first Passover all the first born in Egypt have died the children of Israel
have been set free it's a picture of salvation but the bondage of Egypt is
is now hot on their toes yeah or hot on their heels sorry more like that that
bondage of sin can still destroy your physical life can't it yeah look when
you got saved amen yeah you there's no no longer the eternal punishment looming
for your sin however you could still fall back into the physical bondage of
sin can't you and here you know the Egypt that that picture of of the
bondage of sin is kind of chasing him down Exodus 14 and verse 9 says this
Exodus 14 9 but the Egyptians pursued after them all the horses and chariots
of Pharaoh and his horsemen and his army and overtook them in camping by the sea
beside Pihah Hyrath before Beelzebon and when Pharaoh drew nigh that the children
Israel lift up their eyes and behold the Egyptians marched after them and they
were sore afraid and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord and they
said unto Moses because there were no graves in Egypt has out taking us away
to die in the wilderness wherefore has thou dealt with us to carry us forth out
of Egypt is not this the word that we did tell the in Egypt saying let us
alone that we may serve the Egyptians for it had been better for us to serve
the Egyptians and that we should die in the wilderness now admittedly they did
have the Egyptian army bearing down on them they were scared right they saw no
way out they're kind of by the Red Sea thinking what on earth you know what's
going on now they had just witnessed the ten plagues of Egypt yeah how God
released them with these amazing signs and wonders but this was a high-stress
situation wasn't it okay they weren't a match for the Egyptian army they're just
thinking what no so we could possibly give them a bit leeway here couldn't we
I don't think anyone here is I don't think so it's had like you know a huge
army bearing down on them and all they've got behind them is kind of you
know an ocean or at least a small ocean to see whatever you want to call it well
verse 13 says Moses said unto the people fear you not stand still and see the
salvation of the Lord which he will show you today for the Egyptians whom whom
you have seen today ye shall see them again no more forever the Lord shall
fight for you and ye shall hold your peace and sure enough Moses through the
power of God he performs an amazing miracle doesn't he parts the Red Sea it
is amazing they walk through the dry land in the middle of the the sea with
it like a wall on either side of them and then eventually once they get
through he then destroys the Egyptian army okay this must have been absolutely
amazing imagine being actually witnessing that first hand yeah
absolutely amazing he destroys them all then verse 30 jump
forward verse 30 where it says thus the Lord saved Israel that day after the
hand of the Egyptians and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore and
Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians and the
people feared the Lord and believed the Lord and his servant Moses so after this
they sing this song of praise to God yeah Miriam even gets the timbrels out
it's kind of party time now jump forward a chapter 15 in verse 22 chapter 15 in
verse 22 where it says so Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea and they went
out into the wilderness of Shur and they went three days in the wilderness and
found no water so we're only three days on okay with three days on they haven't
found any water and and look point being they didn't find any water okay it's not
that they've gone three days without water I think I'm right about this that
that everyone heard the rule of threes before when it comes to survival so they
say you could do three days without water you can do three weeks without
food and you can do I think three months is it three months or is it three years
without company anyone know have I got that right I think that's it isn't it
is that right brother Dan you had your hand up you heard that before it's a
longer yeah with the okay but basically they say three days without water right
okay now it's not look these people will have come out from Egypt with stuff with
them they're taking pots and pans and other things okay so it's not that
they're at this point of about to die okay however they have gone three days
without being able to refill and everything else and get their water
right okay verse 23 then says that when they came to Marar they could not drink
of the waters of Marar for they were bitter therefore the name of it was
called Marar which means bitterness so this this obviously wasn't a coincidence
this is why they now call it Marar okay then just having to turn up at place it
was called bitterness yeah okay that's why it was named Marar now it's either
for me it's either salted or it's maybe got this high metallic concentration
that makes water bitter either way it was undrinkable okay and the people
murmured against Moses saying what shall we drink okay now this is the first use
of the word murmur or murmured you know one of the derivatives of that and
rather than an out-and-out complaint this is more subtle okay they're asking
a question but really they're complaining with the question okay
Webster's 1828 says to murmur is to grumble to complain to utter complaints
a low half articulated voice you know that sort of thing grumbling it's quiet
to utter sullen discontent so they're showing discontent by the question yeah
with at before the thing which is a cause of discontent okay so so they're
murmuring at this problem we're not having something to drink now this isn't
official complaint time so it's not that they've come up gone we've got a
complaint this is something amongst them that they're murmuring they're showing
discontent it's a more subsequent but it's still complaining okay so they're
complaining to each other or even to him eventually it's done quietly less
directly okay it's three days since the party of the Red Sea okay don't don't
don't miss that okay he's just part of the Red Sea God's just giving them this
massive victory and already they're mowing complaining however look they were
thirsty they're in the wilderness they're in the desert okay they're
thirsty they're in the desert you could again you could sympathize can you you
could say look I got a few days now that funny any water they're thinking how
long are we gonna last yeah this isn't right so they start
murmur and complaining verse 25 says and he cried unto the Lord talking about
Moses and the Lord showed him a tree which when he had cast it into the
water so it cast into the waters the waters were made sweet there he made for
them a statute and an ordinance and there he proved them and said if thou
will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God and will do that which
is right in his sight and will give ear to his commandments and keep all his
statutes I will put none of these diseases upon me which I've brought upon
the Egyptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee so the Lord shows that he
can make bitter water sweet he can provide all they have to do is listen to
his commandments listen to his statutes verse 27 says and they came to Elam
where were 12 wells of water and three score and ten palm trees and they
encamped there by the water so the twelve and a seventy providing for
their knees needs I'm sure there's a sermon in there but we're not we're not
going to go go kind of sidetrack here okay surely that's the end of the
complaining now isn't it look he's just now provided them palm trees and wells
of water well no chapter 16 starts with more the same so chapter 16 and verse 1
says and they took their journey from Elam and all the congregation of the
children Israel came into the wilderness of sin which is between Elam and Sinai
on the 15th day of the sick of the second month after the departing out of
the land of Egypt and the part the congregation on the whole congregation
of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the
wilderness and the children Israel said unto them would to God we had died by
the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt when we sat by the flesh pots and
when we did eat bread to the full for a year brought us forth into this
wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger now it's hunger this time
okay and and and what are they doing they're starting to look favorably on
their time in Egypt aren't they so now they're starting to go they've just said
when we sat by the flesh pots in verse 3 when we did eat bread to the full but
was it a good time in Egypt it sure as hell wasn't a good time in Egypt but
they're starting to now have a bit of a selective memory as to what life was
like as a moment complain verse 4 says then said the Lord unto Moses behold I
will rain bread from heaven for you and the people should go out and gather a
certain rate every day that I may prove them when they will walk in my law or
no it shall come to pass on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they
bring in and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily and most in Aaron
said unto the children Israel even then you shall know that the Lord brought you
out from the land of Egypt and in the morning when you shall see the glory of
the Lord for that he hearth your murmurings against the Lord and what are
we that you murmur against us the most said this shall be when the Lord shall
give you in the evening flesh to eat in the morning bread to the full for the
Lord here if your murmurings which she murmured against him and what are we
your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord and here's a key point
when it comes to murdering and complaining who are we really complaining
about so every time we murmur and complain in life who are we really
murmur and complaining at verse 2 it says in the whole congregation children
Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness verse 3 says and the
children of Israel said unto them would God we had died by the hand of the Lord
and land of Egypt when we sat by the flesh pots when we did eat bread to the
full for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole
assembly with hunger so the the the obvious answer some might say well their
murmur against Moses and Aaron they're complaining about Moses and Aaron but
who gave them Moses and Aaron God who ordained leadership God God in fact gave
them he hand-picked Moses and gave him and then got Aaron to obviously help
out be his mouthpiece especially at the beginning it was God and is a is a thing
when we complain about many areas of life who ordained your mums and dads
kids here as the bosses in your home who ordained them as the boss God who said
in Ephesians 6 1 children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right
God God ordained them as leaders in your home God ordained them as the boss who
ordained husbands as a boss in your family God who said in Ephesians 5 22
wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord God that's
it's God who ordained that who ordained your employer as a boss in your workplace
God who said in Ephesians 6 5 servants be obedient to them that are your master
called to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of your heart as
unto Christ God God who ordained men to lead churches God who said in Hebrews
13 17 obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves for they watch
for yourselves as they that must give account they may do it with joy and not
with grief for that is unprofitable for you the same God that set most an hour
and over the children of Israel there's only one God and God ordains the
leadership God ordains those people in your life God has ordained so many of
those situations that we end up complaining and murmuring about you say
well they were murmuring specifically about provision yeah that's what some
might say I'll go well yeah but they were murmuring specifically about the
provision that's why they're murmuring against God so what's your excuse what's
your excuse because these people were scared they were thirsty they were
hungry what is it that we all murmur and complain about that your parents won't
let you do foolish things that they care about you how many kids murmur about
that complain about the fact that their parents care about them that they judge
the thousand sibling argument slightly wrong and punish you more this time is
it really a reason to be complaining and murmuring because who you really
murdering complaining about God because he ordained them as the boss he ordained
them as a judge in your household that your husband or wife isn't perfect
that's what so many people murmur and complain about that that they've got as
many faults as you do which is really what it comes down to doesn't it that
your boss at work can be as bad a boss as you are as an employee that's usually
what it's about isn't it but I can't believe they're not a better boss than I
have an employee or that your pastor has as many imperfections as you do as a
church member yeah fancy that you ain't a perfect church member your boss is not
a perfect pastor and yet so often people think they're somehow justified to
complain a murmur about this stuff and you know what I think we should kind of
appreciate how long-suffering God actually is right because he was
long-suffering with them and he it seems like he's more long-suffering with us
because we complain about stuff that's got nothing on this yet we often look at
these stories we look at the children how could they you know those children
is I think in our mind we're kind of still equating modern-day Jews with them
as well aren't we so it's just are those Jews you know but this is a different
these people are actually God's people okay not some imposters some
infiltrators over in Israel these are God's people and they seem to have a
little bit more justification for their complaining their memory than we do
right and he was patient here wasn't he he provided them with with manna bread
from heaven and even the next chapter where we're having been told that
they're actually murmuring against the Lord they still continue so we've just
seen they've been told yeah you're not murdering against us you're murmuring
against the Lord look at Exodus 17 and verse 1 and all the congregation of the
children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of sin after their journeys
according to the commandment of the Lord and pitched and referred him and there
was no water for the people to drink wherefore the people did chide Chinese
to scold or contend with Moses and said give us water that we may drink and
Moses said unto them why chide ye with me wherefore do ye tempt the Lord so
he's reminded them again who they're continuing with isn't it he's saying
again it's not me it's God verse 3 and the people thirsted therefore water and
the people murmured against Moses and said wherefore is this that thou has
brought us up out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our cattle with
thirst and Moses cried unto the Lord saying what shall I do unto this people
they be almost ready to stone me and the Lord said unto Moses go on before the
people and take with thee of the elders of Israel and thy rod wherewith thou
smote us the river take in thine hand and go behold I will stand before thee
there upon the rock in Horeb and thou shalt smite the rock and there shall
come water out of it that the people may drink and Moses did so in the sight of
the elders of Israel and he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah
which is temptation and chiding again I think named afterwards because of the
chiding of the children Israel and because they tempted the Lord saying is
the Lord among us or not so plenteous in mercy long-suffering because what
happens after this he then gets in victory against Amalek and shortly after
that they end up at the bottom of Mount Sinai which is basically where we are in
Numbers 11 because we then just have this this long passage of Scripture
where where look we haven't suddenly moved on okay it's actually you've got
basically for me you've got the end of Exodus you've got the whole of the book
of Leviticus and then you've got the beginning of the book of Numbers and
it's all the commandments that are going forth at Mount Sinai whether it's
up in the mount or down in the in the tabernacle of the congregation and we
and we're getting all of this stuff but but it's not a long period of time that
passes right numbers 11 go back to numbers 11 now verse 1 and it says and
when the people complained it displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it and his
anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed them
that were in the uttermost parts of the camp so what's changed what's changed
now because he was pretty he was pretty merciful wasn't he he was forgiving he
kept answering their murmurings their complaints and giving them the things
that they were murmuring and complaining for he's gone from letting it go let it
go let it go to now the fire of the Lord burning among them what's changed you
know what happened between Exodus 17 numbers 11 a ton of commandments a ton
of commandments the second half like I said of Exodus all the way through
Leviticus the beginning numbers is the law being given and in Luke 12 48 after
turn about the parable of the faithful steward Jesus says but he that knew not
and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes for
unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom men
have committed much of him they will ask the more and by this point they've
been given much delivered from Egypt saved from certain death watered fed
watered in the wilderness that he'd given them a lot hadn't he and now and
now they've been delivered the words of the living God how to live righteously
how to please him and that's where we're at isn't it that's where all of us are
and maybe he's been long-suffering with many of us here maybe since you got saved
and he started providing for you and he gave you the Word of God he maybe got
you out of your old life right maybe he helped you kind of get rid of some of
those old sins those old ways of life he's watered and fed you with the words
of God he's told you how he wants you to live hasn't he yeah if you're sitting
here in this church and you've been here for any time well he's been telling you
from from this pulpit at least and hopefully you've been reading your Bible
as well right but what if you're still complaining what if you're still
murmuring after all of that well verse 1 says and when the people complained it
displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it and his anger was kindled and the
fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed them that were in the
uttermost parts of the camp look something that we need to make clear
God's not some genie in the lamp okay God's not this genie in the lamp that
you just asked what you want if he doesn't and if you don't get it you have
a hissy fit okay that's not the God of the Bible that's the God that the world
wants to portray him as that you could be angry when everything doesn't go
right for you in life that somehow he's to blame and he's at fault that's not
the God of the Bible God's not a henpecked husband did you know that God's
not a henpecked husband that you just keep having a go at every time things
don't go how you think they should that's not our God is it
Psalm 47 2 talks about the Almighty God and it says for the Lord most high is
terrible he is a great king over all the earth that's the God of the Bible not
some hippie floating around in a dress saying peace peace peace tell me what
you want no the God of the Bible is something different isn't it okay when
you read the Bible you should start to get an appreciation for who God is and
you don't want his anger being kindled do you yet how often do we still
complain and moan and murmur about things not going how we think they
should not love like we deserve better like you deserve better do we deserve
better anyone here thinks that they they deserve salvation in the first place I
know I don't anyone here thinks up that oh well not okay I might not deserve
salvation right now I deserve to have my whole life laid out exactly as I want it
no we need to we need to get off our high horses don't we we need to learn to
a bit of humility and just say whatever I get praise God praise God because I'm
but a worm yeah what do I deserve now look you could go too far with this it
just and and completely do yourself down and look yeah we're all capable we
should try try our best to be something that that you know that people can
respect and we don't have to like go too far the other way some people are like
well I'm just this wicked guy so hey ho no no we want to have some self respect
as well don't we want to try and live right etc but we don't want to put
ourselves up here and I think that's what a lot of murmuring complaining is
and do you know who he burnt first here who'd he burn first those that were in
the uttermost parts of the camp that's those that were on the outskirts okay
that's who he burnt first so he didn't burn first the people that are right
there in the middle of the camp in the middle of everything going on for God he
burnt those one foot in one foot out types they're the ones that got that got
destroyed quicker they're the ones that got rid of the the the ones that weren't
really serious about things God the ones that kind of come into church now and
again just to see if we can find something complain about find some way
of justifying why we're not here find some way of justifying why I'm just why
I don't go to church every week why you know it's okay for me to not do what God
tells me to do and not forsake the assembling of ourselves together as a
matter of some is but exhorting one another is so much more you see the day
approach you no no no no because actually it's because of this because
of that they're the people he punished first they're the people he got rid of
they're the people he destroyed those in the uttermost parts of the camp the fire
burn and those part-time Christians got worked and the people cried unto Moses
and when Moses prayed unto the Lord the fire was quenched you say okay brother
in but that was Old Testament wasn't it you know that was when God was different
he was like a bit more strict about his people then a bit more homophobic wasn't
it was just a bit of a different guy wasn't it in the nowadays well keep a
finger here and turn over the first Corinthians 10 because number one it's
the same God and number two he wants us to learn from these events okay all
scripture is given by inspiration of God okay all of it is profitable for a proof
okay for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be
perfect fully furnished unto all good works okay he wants us to study this to
look at this and learn from this and it is the same God and first Corinthians 10
verse 1 says moreover brethren I would not that you should be ignorant how that
all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea were all
baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and it all eat the same
spiritual meat and it all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of that
spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ yeah one God yeah
you know what if they were saved in the Old Testament is because of Jesus Christ
there's no other way verse 5 says and with many of them God was not well
pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness now these things were our
examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also
lusted neither be idolaters as were some of them as it is written the people sat
down to eat and drink arose up to play neither let us commit fornication as
some of them committed and fell in one day three and twenty thousand neither
let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents
and that happens in Numbers 21 neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured
and were destroyed of the destroyer now this is probably referring to the plague
in Numbers 14 however like we've just seen the murmuring started long a long
time before this didn't it verse 11 says now all these things happened unto them
for in samples and they are written for our admonition which is reproof
instruction caution upon whom the ends of the world are come wherefore let him
that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall because you could you could be
sitting there going look I'm at church I'm reading my Bible I'm praying I'm so
winning I'm getting sin out of my life but I'm a whinging murmuring complaining
whining little crybaby about everything in my life how do you think that's going
to end how's that going to end if this is an
example for us how's that going to end not well okay we're gonna see that in a
minute now maybe maybe you'll last longer than
those on the outside of the camp but eventually you're getting destroyed by
the destroyer because he said neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and
were destroyed of the destroyer now go back to Numbers 11 with that in mind
okay this is written look there are many things that God could have included in
and I'm sure many things happened to the children of Israel okay this is history
you're reading here but he selected certain things to be in samples unto us
okay and this is is one such thing all these things happen unto them for in
samples and they're written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the
world are come so they're written for our reproof for our instruct for our
caution as to how to live so don't look at it and go well that was the children
Israel things are different now no they're written for our caution okay
verse 3 numbers 11 verse 3 says and he called the name of the place Tibera
which is a burning okay because the fire of the Lord burnt among them now you
would think it's time to get right now isn't it they've just seen those in the
in the uttermost parts of the camp get destroyed and maybe what look you could
see that in life you could see people that are just whingers, moaners,
complainers those aren't really serious about the things of God you might see
their lives go downhill and you should then go okay I need to get right but
that's not what the children Israel do verse 4 says and the mixed multitude
that was among them fell a lusting and the children Israel also wept again and
said who shall give us flesh to eat right so now it's not that they're
scared is it it's not that they're thirsty and it's not that they're hungry
now it's a type of food that they're being given okay things are changing a
little bit now yeah because murmurs and complainers they might start off with
some seemingly more justified complaints but now we're getting the point of well
I'm just not happy with the type of food I've been provided verse 5 says we
remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely the cucumbers and the
melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic and I reckon that this is a
common type of complaint amongst Christians a rose-tinted view of their
life before serving Christ I think there'll be many people like that out
there it's so hard going to church three times a week oh what a burden what a
burden going to church what a burden spending the day at church what about
to go to church once a week whatever it is it's so hard it's so hard now life's
just all about Church it's all about God it's all about soul and what about all
the other fun things what about all those other things that we used to do
all this Bible reading oh it's just all Bible reading isn't it now all about
preaching I've got to sit and listen to preaching what a hardship it's an hour
long it's no longer the 15-minute sermonette down the non-denom Church
this guy even goes into an hour and a half on a special occasion how do I cope
and they said in verse 6 but now our soul is dried away there is nothing at
all beside this manna before our eyes there is nothing at all beside this
bread from heaven this Jesus Christ because that's what it's representing
isn't it there's nothing at all beside this Jesus Christ before our eyes but
it's Jesus that bad verse 7 says and the manna was as coriander seed and the
color thereof is the color of delium this is likely a thing of beauty now
there's a few debates as to what delium is and what the color is some say it's
sort of a translucent with a reddish brown tint sort of resin others say it's
actually talking about some sort of pearl or jewel either way it sounds like
it looked beautiful it looked amazing it was like what on earth you know this
look this look great it's a thing of beauty Jesus Christ the thing of beauty
isn't he and I don't mean you know the Catholic version of the thing of beauty
okay and the and the people went about and gathered it and ground it in mills
or beat it in a mortar and baked it in pans and made cakes of it and the taste
of it was is the taste for sure you know he's actually versatile to Jesus Christ
if you're in the spirit you'll never tire of Jesus Christ will you when
you're in the spirit you're never tiring of the Word of God he fills your every
longing doesn't he he comforts you he encourages you he fires you up he
protects you he gives you joy gives you wonder when your spirit filled you'll
never tire of it and you know what there's no bitter aftertaste said it was
it as a taste of fresh oil and fresh oil is a lot different the mixed oils of
different origin you know I have a picture of some country died then it
looks like that you look at the back and it's like a combination of different EU
oils it's like why it's all probably the same firm isn't it with all their
different packaging and make it look like so you know they got someone on the
front like pressing the olives yeah but it's actually been mechanically pressed
with a load of different olives from a load of different action but no no this
was fresh oil this is fresh or and and when when there's fresh oil there's not
that bitter aftertaste you know one is no bitter off face of Jesus Christ
because he's free because it's free because getting saved salvation is free
it's not man what do I owe now no no it's free but when the dew fell upon the
camp in the night the manna fell upon it all you have to do is reach out to him
and he's there yeah that's all you have to do you just got just got to ask him
in faith and he's yours yeah and the manual they had to do was collect it
that's it but suddenly that bondage in Egypt is being remembered like it was
some sort of posh eat as much as you can buffet suddenly like that hard bondage
in Egypt in their mind is like you know the best buffet you could go you could
get the garlic and the fish and the cucumber and everything else they said
in verse five we remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely the
cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic but the
reality was very different so that's how they're now remembering it but but
Exodus 1 14 says and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage in mortar
and in brick and in all manner of service in the field all their service
wherein they made them serve was with rigor and they were killing their male
children they were killing them they were killing that their male children
as they were born and these people are looking at going on what a great life we
had compared with now and it's like those believers that say things like all
those fun times back in those pub days or whatever it is back at the nightclubs
the parties or something else that extra money when the kids were at school and
both of us for working and we weren't tithing all that extra cash those
favorite movies albums that we used to listen those lazy nights doing nothing
those were the days weren't they but their lives were bitter with that hard
bondage weren't they and it's the same your lives were bitter when you really
look back at it honestly your past life was bitter with the hard bondage of sin
and you know what it would have destroyed your children too yeah it
destroys children what you think that those that old lifestyle wouldn't have
destroyed your kids sure as hell it would have done there was nothing free
about their lives in Egypt they're in hard bondage and now they were receiving
a free manner weren't they here but it wasn't good enough now what here's a
thing okay this sort of so what if this is speaking to you today though okay
what if you're just naturally negative you find yourself murmuring and
complaining because look some people some people might be sitting there going
yeah I get all this I know I shouldn't but I just I'm a murmur I'm a
complainer I'm someone who's just constantly finding fault in life I'm
constantly finding issues what can you do to help yourself before it's
chastisement time because that's a warning now for many people knowing the
warning knowing the Word of God knowing it says chastisement still isn't enough
is it they just naturally a negative they naturally complain well for me look
first things first get in a habit of gratitude okay I think that's a great
habit if you're saying thanks yeah if I'm saying thanks something I'm less
likely to be complaining not many people say you get you know you don't say you've
gone to a bad restaurant and they do and use they've served you up a plate of
slop you're not usually going thanks whilst complaining but this was slop
yeah probably the thank you is not going to come out your mouth it's kind of one
or the other isn't it gratitude is good if if you turn you over to first
Thessalonians 5 you turn over the first Thessalonians 5 because there there
there's all these single verse commands in first Thessalonians chapter 5 and in
verse 18 says this first Thessalonians 5 verse 18 says in everything give
thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you in
everything yeah an old preacher I used to listen to had a set prayer time so he
used to have times of the day when he it was like right this time I pray and one
of his set prayer times was just to give thanks so there was not one request in
that prayer time there was not oh please do this or please do that or give me
this you know rubbing the lamp you know give me this give me that no he had a
set prayer time where all he did was just think thank God I think that's a
pretty good idea don't you think if that's something that you have a problem
with if you don't find yourself feeling grateful for what you do have in life
and you're constantly just complaining moment about what you don't have or what
you do have that you're not happy with then maybe a good idea is to just get in
the habit of giving thanks because when you're thanking God you're not
complaining are you yeah good good idea now yeah I don't know if anyone knows
anyone that's ever been in these sort of like rehab programs and 12-step and all
that higher powered junk and everything else yeah and by the way that stuff's
wicked a camera this isn't some sort of advertisement for that but interestingly
something that does seem to help these people a lot I had an old friend who got
into this and and they're very much encouraged from the beginning to give
thanks so now they're giving thanks to some higher power or themselves or I
don't even know they kind of make it up as they go along it changes you know
they whatever version of God but however they get in this habit of just giving
thanks and having that appreciation for just life itself and finding things to
be grateful about seems to help them a lot with then not being so bitter
because a lot of when it comes to alcoholism and drug addiction stuff a
lot of it there's bitterness there a lot of them are very bitter and feel very
sort of bitter with life bitter with situations bitter just and and it kind
of goes hand in hand a lot of time there anyone ever known any like bitter old
alcoholics it can be pretty rough being around them right okay so they're being
encouraged to give thanks give thanks and then a lot of the time I think maybe
you know thinking about it here it maybe stops them justifying the booze and the
drugs and stuff because they've got less to justify it with because they're being
encouraged to be more grateful in life right now these people don't even
believe in God you know they make up their own God they believe they are some
sort of God or they kind of all have all these weird beliefs but but look we have
someone we can think and some we know is there and we know is someone that we
should be thanking right so don't well the title is stop complaining and number
one is give thanks give thanks now turn to Philippians 2 we're gonna look at the
next thing you can do secondly remember that your attitude affects others okay
that's something we should remember our attitude our negativity our complaining
our murmuring isn't just us it affects those around us Philippians chapter 2
and verse 14 says this Philippians and chapter 2 of verse 14 says do some
things without murmur no does it say that no do most that no do all things
do all things without murmurings and disputings that you may be blameless
and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and
perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world holding forth the
word of life that may rejoice in a day of Christ that I have not run in vain
neither labored in vain what sort of testimony are you if you're walking
around complaining all day look and we don't go too hot look obviously again
there's always balance in life right but the primary way we reach people is by
going out and preaching the gospel okay we're not going to start preaching
lifestyle evangelism only from this pulpit however there is such thing as
lifestyle evangelism right and we want to be shiny lights for those that you're
around and they take notice okay they take notice of how you are how you
behave of your your sort of mentality in life and if you're just constantly
moaning constantly complaining constantly bitter it's not really much
of an advertisement for the Lord Jesus Christ is it and and this made me think
when I was when I was writing this these notes it made me think of on our
anniversary I just just in case anyone is sitting here thinking oh man he's
getting us here and I've forgotten what I said at the beginning I don't think we
have a problem with this at this church in fact I know we don't to some degree
because when we met up for our anniversary and it was most of the
church that could make it to the to the first bit that we did a couple of hours
soul-winning the we were outside this shop and and when I say shot was
opposite the station Landon I think it was and there was a little coffee shop
there in a shop and there are people coming and going in it and it was
building this group of people and this lady stopped and asked my wife to just
hold her dog while she went into the shop and when she came out she said who
are you people are you all she said oh you know before she was said I said why
are you all so happy that's what she honestly said she said I think you were
there when you sister Nicky's oh she said why are you all so happy like what
is this and my wife explained it you know we're a church and everything else
and it's our anniversary and it wasn't everyone was going two years well it was
just because look you know we should have that light shining out of us
shouldn't we because you you find 30 40 or whatever it is of any other sort of
collection of different people walks of life whether it's I don't know a sports
club or this or that meeting together half them are probably gonna be moaning
about stuff whinging complaining whining like little crybabies about whatever
happened the night before or this or that whereas we're just said just
smiling happy chatting it's a good testimony isn't it yeah and that's
that's the sort of that's the sort of thing we want and maybe someone like
that goes away and will remember that right maybe look maybe she wasn't ready
to hear the gospel then but maybe maybe in the future she will right and some
might say well it's okay I only complain about family around family yeah well
what about your kids what about your kids well they're already saved yeah but
just give someone safe doesn't mean that they're gonna go on to serve the Lord
does it okay and if we're constantly complaining and murmuring about our
Christian life just our life because it's all our Christian life isn't it
then what example is that setting to our children who are sitting there thinking
I want a life like this they just seem unhappy and it even if it's just at the
subconscious level look it's important right we're affecting we affect people
around us with how we with how we respond to our lives right so stop
complaining number one give thanks number two shine your light yeah and
turn to Proverbs 17 because I want to look at the third thing because thirdly
we should be thinking about our own health as well okay think about your own
health turn to Proverbs 17 and our health is important isn't it if you're
here to serve God you want to earn rewards in heaven you want to do things
for him on this earth you want to affect those around you you want to try on your
life well you it's helpful if you as healthy as possible with that as well
right Proverbs 17 22 says this it says a merry heart doeth good like a medicine
but a broken spirit drieth the bones a merry heart doeth good like a medicine
you show me someone who's complaining and muttering and murmuring all day
every day and I'll tell you what that's not someone with a merry heart yeah but
a broken spirit drieth the bones now some might sit there and go well you
don't know how hard my life is okay no one here is camping in the desert
they're not no one here has got their back to the Red Sea with the army of
Egypt bearing down upon it okay no no one here is is is going I don't know
where the next bit of waters coming from I don't know where the next meals coming
from yet we read those stories everything and we do don't we we almost
scorn the Children of Israel with it and we read it how could they
unbelievable yeah you know maybe don't go that far okay however none of us are
living like now are we yeah and look and I know look I know it's look I
understand okay it is look we our lives are in context and and there are things
that we deal with and we go through that we find hard right now we're gonna talk
about how to deal with that in a minute however none of us are living like that
yet we still murmur and complain we still complain we still find a problem
and the thing with murmurs and complainers like I said they're really
happy and and and then often they're gonna be murmuring complaining about
the health as well memory complaining about this about that about their health
about the fact that they're just always feeling tired or whatever whatever but
but the truth is and if they cut the memory and complaining a merry heart
doeth good like a medicine it might actually be happier cut it out and you
might find less to murmur and complain about yeah imagine that funny vicious
circle that isn't it and merry heart doeth good like a medicine but a broken
spirit drieth the bones stop complaining number one give thanks okay these are
ways to stop complain number one give thanks number two shine your light
number three focus on your health now turn a Jude because falsely don't act
like a reprobate okay now this is the church setting now and like I said I
don't think we have a problem with this okay we have had a problem with this in
the past it's definitely worth thinking about because in Jude chapter well it's
there's only there's no chapter in Jude it is one chapter Jude verse 16 talking
about these reprobates he's false prophet infiltrates it says is it says
in verse verse 16 it says these are murmurers complainers walking after
their own lusts and their mouth speaketh great swelling words having men's
persons in admiration because of advantage so these are the people that
are just constantly trying to find fault in the church now okay now it might be
in the church it might just be in Christianity it might be in the type of
church okay so it's not always that they're just attacking a singular
some people will see him just constantly attacking like our our type of church
yeah or whatever else how it's run etc and they're just murmuring and
complaining and murmuring and complain now sometimes it's subtle sometimes it's
not but what does it ultimately do it just does damage doesn't it because when
you're hearing that all the time it just starts we you know everyone's turning up
and say man we've got a church here we're so winning we're preaching the
Bible we're hearing hard preaching we're you know people are getting involved
people are doing stuff you know we're getting loads of people saved or you can
have people going you know don't think they should have done it this way you
know I don't like the building or don't like this you know and what does it do
it just it just puts a damper on things doesn't it and it lowers your morale I
picture a whole sermon on this because we had this we had this rife at this
church okay unfortunately kicked out all of those people but they were just
constant and then after I kicked them out people were coming up to me going
yeah they were complaining about this so we're moaning about this they're
complaining about that they're complaining about that I mean when we
got the building it's easy you know it's too cold it's too this it's too just
straight away it's nuts isn't it too hot I think at the time it was summer you
know it's just like but but what was it what's the goal of that is to make
people not want to come to church is to get people actually it's not because
they care about you I'm gonna really have to have a murmur and complaint to
you because this will help you to see the truth no it's just because they
want you out of church okay so look murmurs and complainers it says it here
clear as day in verse 16 that these these types of moments good no just that
just that just a quick one here if people murmur and complaint doesn't mean
no reprobate okay we have to chase them down and hunt them down and get them out
of the church okay a lot of people have issues with this but it's just
interesting that it is one of the the characteristics of these types of people
obviously I preach at length is yeah at length about this before okay and I'll
continue to do so from time to time but point being it's not a good look so it's
not a good look so you might you know you might be like look I don't want a
church destroyed I don't want you know but however you do just can't see
murmur and complain now remember moment we could be subtle so some might oh well
I've never heard you know a full complaint but they just can't see just
little questions well how are we gonna do this and what about that and it's a
constant little subtle one little question little one under that you know
a little whisper about they still look what you're doing really you're just
weakening the church okay stop complaining number one try giving thanks
number two try shining your light number three try focusing on your health and
number four try not to destroy a church yeah because if you're not planning to
well you can still do that anyway right okay now go back to numbers 11 what if
you have legitimate problems because we all have legitimate problems in life
okay so okay well we're not we're not in the wilderness so therefore we should
just be like skipping down the road and just you know has anyone got any
anything to ever complain or have a problem about what if we have legitimate
burdens that we can't bear oh we just to shut up and put up is that what God
wants look sometimes we need counsel okay sometimes you do need counsel so
if you've come to church today and you've got I'm having a bit of trouble
with this and you know I don't know what to do about that look that's not
murdering and complaining okay but it's what spirit are you in when you're doing
it if you're just just you don't want because some people don't want the
solution if you're not looking for a solution you're not looking for help
you're not trying to find some way of dealing with it then you're murdering
and complaining but if you're coming in and you're saying look you know I need
some help with this or maybe you know maybe we could pray about let's not
memory and complaining right okay sometimes you need counsel and do you
know who the best person got a council about things are here we're gonna look
from verse 10 because the answer is to take it to the Lord in prayer and if you
take something to Lord in prayer that's not murdering complaining because we see
a contrast here where it says in verse 10 then Moses heard the people weep
throughout the families every man the door of his tent and the anger of the
Lord was kindled greatly Moses also was displeased and Moses said unto the Lord
wherefore has our afflicted thy servant and wherefore have I not found favor in
thy sight now less the burden of all these people upon me have I conceived
all these people have I begotten them that thou should have sound to me carry
them in thy bosom as a nursing father bear of the sucking child unto the lamb
which does swears than to their fathers when should I have flesh to give unto
all these people for they weep unto me saying give us flesh that we may eat
I'm not able to bear all these people alone because it is too heavy for me and
if thou deal thus with me kill me I pray thee out of hand if I found favor in thy
sight and let me not see my wretchedness so Moses is saying that he'd rather die
than carry the burden of these people alone isn't he but he's saying that I
may not see my he's not going because I'm just I don't deserve to have to do
this he's going I'm just not able I'm unable I need help God there's
something wrong with that yeah I you're going to the Lord in prayer you're going
to God and going please help me with my situation you're not going to everyone
whether it's in your family in your workplace in your church or whatever
else no you're going to God and God's loving isn't he God's merciful don't
moment complain to others take it to him and look what happens verse 16 and the
Lord said unto Moses gather unto me 70 men of the elders of Israel whom thou
knowest to be the elders of the people and officers over them and bring them
to the tabernacle of the congregation they may stand there with thee and I
will come down and talk with thee there and I will take of the spirit which is
upon thee and will put it upon them and they shall bear the burden of the people
with thee that thou bear it not thyself alone so so look at the contrast there
to what happened with the people that are murdering and complaining and they
end up getting burnt up at least the ones in the uttermost part of the camp
we're going to see see what happens with this lot but then you get Moses he takes
it to God and God says okay I'm going to try and find a solution for you I'm
going to help you because you're basically saying that I'm unable to deal
with it that's how I'm so important I shouldn't have to deal with it you say
no I'm not I'm not I'm not good enough to deal with these people verse 18 and
say that unto the people sanctify yourselves against more and ye shall eat
flesh for you have wept in the ears of the Lord saying who shall give us flesh
to eat for it was well with us in Egypt therefore the Lord will give you flesh
and ye shall eat you shall not eat one day nor two days nor five days neither
ten days nor twenty days but even a whole month until it come out at your
nostrils always makes me chuckle there and it be loathsome unto you because
that you have despised the Lord which is among you and have wept before him
saying why came we forth out of Egypt so point being here could be careful what
you complain about right because the glass isn't always greener is it it's
not always greener and jump forward a verse 33 because we see that happen it
says and while the flesh was yet between their teeth ere it was chewed the wrath
of the Lord was kindled against the people and the Lord smote the people
with a very great plague and he called the name of that place Kibroth Hayatava
because there they buried the people that lusted and that means the graves
of lust and the people journeyed from Kibroth Hayatava unto Hazeroth and
abode at Hazeroth so sadly they didn't learn their lesson okay but but
hopefully we will as this was written for our admonition wasn't it okay so
we've seen that many of these things are written in fact a lot of these kind of a
lot of what happened happened ultimately for our admonition okay for for everyone
who's been reading this ever since to go okay I need to not not behave like these
people and and I hope look I hope that everyone here doing something that we
can apply to our lives because we're all going to have times in our life where we
feel like murmuring and complaining about this or that or something else and
and look the answer is stop complaining how well try giving thanks try shining
your light try focusing on your health and try not destroying churches okay not
a good look on that we're going to pray
thank you for well for a great lesson in the Bible there and you know how we can
look at you know what the children Israel did and didn't do and how they
responded to circumstance in life and and not only does it you know well at
least put put in perspective our lives and the many kind of more menial things
that we complain and moan about also it gives us well it gives us a lesson it
gives us a warning not to be murmurers not to be complainers to appreciate all
that God has done for us all that God continues to do for us to know that we
don't deserve anything that we're you know that we're just blessed to have a
merciful God God that loves us the God that wants to help us God that wants us
to go to him in prayer when we need his help help us do that Lord and not to not
to just complain to others without any want of a solution necessarily or at
least just just to make people feel sorry for us or make people to pity us
help us not to kind of seek that pity party and help us to just want to want
to just just be more like you want us to be Lord more like you know the type of
children that you want children that just appreciate having you know the
perfect father a loving father Lord help us to deal with the you know tribulation
that we go through in life in the right way and yeah help us all to to now just
go you go out and you know and want to go and serve you by preaching your
gospel Lord help us go out and get people saved not trying to promise them
a perfect life but just to promise them that they can have eternal life help us
to to preach that loud and clear this afternoon in return for this evening
service service in Jesus name for all this