Listening to the Word

Numbers 14-16; Mark 3   “Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the high hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp…Korah, son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites – Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth – became insolent, and rose up against Moses…” Numbers 14:44; 16:1, 2 This painful chapter in Israel’s Sinai journey exposed the hearts of leaders, including the Levites. The giants witnessed by the twelve spies in Hebron exposed fear in ten of the tribal leaders and in the majority of the community. Their response of grumbling against Moses’ leadership and ultimately their rebellion, led to presumption of action and the deaths of many people. When the warriors went to the “high hill country,” it appears they were trying to secure a strategic location. Presumption in any mission is dangerous! Repentance requires us to ‘stop, wait, and listen (obey)’ before we move forward...

Numbers 12-13; Psalms 90; Mark 2 “’With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?’ The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.” Numbers 12:8, 9 “Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:11, 12 Moses knew God face to face like no other person has known God, other than perhaps Adam and Eve. Moses’ sister experienced God’s anger as she criticized Moses’ leadership and resented his Canaanite wife. The Lord God came to Moses’ defense, and his sister Miriam became leprous. As Moses reflected on what he had learned about God, he wanted others to know the power of God’s anger so they would live with the fear of the Lord and stop sinning. This fear of the Lord was combined with a deep personal and satisfying knowledge of the unfailing love of t...

Numbers 10-11; Psalms 27; Mark 1 “’I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.’…The Lord said to Moses: ‘Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people…I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone.’” Numbers 11:14, 16, 17 The burden of ministry-leadership is too heavy for one person. Like Moses, many pastors are expected to be all things for all people. God’s answer to Moses’ cry for help was not to remove the burden or change the people; rather, it was to share the burden with seventy other identified leaders and then fill them with the Holy Spirit. However, just finding seventy leaders wouldn’t solve the problem. Those leaders needed to be filled with the same power of the Spirit that Moses walked with. Jesus’ prayer for the disciples in his mission was that they would receive power whe...

Numbers 8-9; Acts 28 “…From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.” Acts 28:23 Paul’s focus in witnessing at the close of his life and ministry was on the kingdom of God and Jesus the Messiah. Are we proclaiming only Jesus, and ignoring our witness of God’s kingdom? When we limit our witness to Jesus and not the broader topic of God’s kingdom, we can limit the gospel to personal salvation from sin and ignore the invitation to life-transformation through God’s kingdom. Jesus’ proclamation of the kingdom of God spoke to humility, right relationships, accountability for our resources, and God’s reconciling mission. Paul wrote that the kingdom of God was not about sacrifices of meat and drink, but about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). This gospel of the kingdom of heaven is good news in the midst of the political and cultural wars of our da...

Numbers 7; Psalms 23; Acts 27 “…So Paul warned them, ‘Men I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss…Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on…’” Acts 27:9, 10, 12 “The Lord is my shepherd…he guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…” Psalm 23:1, 3, 4 Paul’s response to the storm at sea was dramatically different from the rest of the ship’s passengers. His warning about proceeding with the journey, and later, his prophetic promise that no lives would be lost, reflected that Paul was listening to his Shepherd. While the ship’s captain was influenced by the majority of the passengers, Paul was led by the Spirit. Even when we travel through the darkest valley, the presence of our Shepherd through his indwelling Spirit is with us. We need not fear. Who are we listening to in our storm or dark val...

Numbers 5-6; Psalms 22; Acts 26   “’The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.’ So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” Numbers 6:24-27 This priestly blessing of speaking the Lord’s name over the Israelites points to the day when the Lord’s presence will be in them, not just on them. Jesus Christ instructed his disciples to baptize the nations “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). The living presence of God himself now indwelt his disciples through the Spirit. “I in them and you in me. May they may be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” John 17:23). It is the indwelling presence of Jesus through the Spirit which releases the glory, grace, and peace of God in our lives. Jesus, as our permanent high priest, has come to bless us with ...