September 22, 2025 • 34 mins
Listen to this week’s sermon, In the Wilderness preached by Rev. Benjamin Kandt from Numbers 11.
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Rev. Benjamin Kandt (00:06):
Hello everyone.
This is Pastor Benjamin.
You're listening to a sermonaudio from New City, orlando.
At New City, we long to see ourFather answer the Lord's prayer
.
For more resources, visit ourwebsite at newcityorlandocom.
Evan Pederson (00:21):
Please pray with me.
Please pray with me, holySpirit.
Make us hungry for your wordthat it may satisfy us, lead us
and bring us life Through JesusChrist, our Lord.
Amen, numbers 11.
Please remain standing if youare able.
(00:42):
And the people complained in thehearing of the Lord about their
misfortunes, and when the Lordheard it, his anger was kindled
and the fire of the Lord burnedamong them and consumed some
outlying parts of the camp.
Then the people cried out toMoses and Moses prayed to the
Lord and the fire died down.
So the name of that place wascalled Taberah, because the fire
(01:05):
of the Lord burned among them.
Now the rabble that was amongthem had a strong craving and
the people of Israel also weptand said oh that we had meat to
eat.
We remember the fish we ate inEgypt that cost nothing the
cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions and the garlic.
But now our strength is driedup and there's nothing at all
(01:25):
but this manna to look at.
Moses heard the people weepingthroughout their clans, everyone
at the door of his tent, andthe anger of the Lord blazed
hotly and Moses was displeased.
Moses said to the Lord why haveyou dealt ill with your servant
and why have I not found favorin your sight that you lay the
burden of all this people on me?
(01:46):
Did I conceive all this people?
Did I give them birth that youshould say to me carry them in
your bosom, as a nurse carries anursing child to the land that
you swore to their father togive their fathers.
Where am I to get meat to giveto all this people?
For they weep before me and saygive us meat that we may eat.
I am not able to carry all thispeople alone.
(02:08):
The burden is too heavy for me.
If you'll treat me like this,kill me at once, if I find favor
in your sight that I may notsee my wretchedness.
Then the Lord said to Mosesgather for me 70 men of the
elders of Israel, whom you knowto be the elders of the people,
and officers over them, andbring them to the tent of
(02:28):
meeting and let them take theirstand there with you and I will
come down and talk with youthere and I will take some of
the spirit that is on you andput it on them and they shall
bear the burden of the peoplewith you, so that you may not
bear it yourself alone and sayto the people consecrate
yourselves for tomorrow and youshall eat meat, for you have
(02:51):
wept in the hearing of the Lordsaying who will give us meat to
eat, for it was better for us inEgypt.
Therefore, the Lord will giveyou meat and you shall eat.
And the Lord said to Moses Isthe Lord's hand shortened?
Now you shall see whether myword will come true for you or
not.
So Moses went out and told thepeople the words of the Lord,
(03:13):
and he gathered 70 men of theelders of the people and placed
them around the tent.
Then the Lord came down in thecloud and spoke to him and took
some of the spirit that was onhim and put it on the 70 elders.
And as soon as the spiritrested on them, they prophesied,
but they did not continue doingit.
Now two men remained in thecamp, one named Eldad and the
(03:36):
other named Medad, and thespirit rested on them.
They were among thoseregistered, but they had not
gone out to the tent, and sothey prophesied in the camp.
And a young man ran and toldMoses Eldad and Medad are
prophesying in the camp.
And Joshua, the son of Nun, theassistant of Moses from his
youth, said my Lord, moses, stopthem.
But Moses said to him are youjealous for my sake?
(03:58):
Would that all the Lord'speople were prophets that the
Lord would put his spirit onthem?
And Moses and the elders ofIsrael returned to the camp
While the meat was yet betweentheir teeth before it was
consumed, the anger of the Lordwas kindled against the people
and the Lord struck down thepeople with a very great plague.
(04:20):
Therefore the name of thatplace was called Kibrath-Hatava,
because there they buried thepeople who had the craving.
From Kibrath-Hatava, the peoplejourneyed to Hazaroth and they
remained at Hazaroth.
This is God's word.
Rev. Benjamin Kandt (04:39):
I work out at a calisthenics park near my
house that my kidsaffectionately call the bars,
which is funny.
When they say, mommy, are wegoing to the bars with dad this
afternoon, the answer is almostalways yes.
And about three years ago I meta young man named Dylan there
who told me that he was thinkingabout joining the Navy because
(05:01):
he wanted to learn leadership,to which at the time we were
preaching through the book ofExodus.
So I said I know of a greatbook on leadership.
It's called Exodus.
Have you ever read it?
He said no.
But that began a friendshipthat lasted until today, and so
Dylan actually joined us for thebook of Exodus.
He came to Christ in the bookof Leviticus and he's here now
(05:22):
today for the book of Numbers.
But let me ask you this Was Ijust being sly when I said that
the book of Exodus was aboutleadership?
Like isn't the Bible reallyjust about?
Like spiritual things, nebulous, heavenly, whatever but like
the real life, practical,tactical realities of leadership
in the book of Exodus, or thebook of Numbers for that matter?
(05:46):
Well, last week Pastor Kennyshowed us in Numbers 9 and 10
that the Lord is leading hispeople in the wilderness, and I
have a conviction that if theLord can do it through people,
he will do it through people.
Augustine of Hippo says it likethis without God we cannot.
Without us, god will not.
You see, god's delight is towork through people, and so when
(06:09):
God leads in the wilderness, heleads through people, and so
our text today really is aboutleading leadership.
What does that look like?
But don't take my word for it,my favorite commentator, michael
Morales.
He says it like this leadershipof the covenant community is
the soul of numbers.
One rabbi said nearly everyfailure in the book of numbers
(06:32):
revolves around a failure ofleadership.
One commentator, I think tryingto boost the PR of the book of
numbers, said we should retitleit the book of leadership,
because that's actually what itis in.
The PR of the book of Numberssaid we should retitle it the
book of leadership becausethat's actually what it is in
the Bible.
The book of Numbers is aboutleadership.
That's what it's about, and ourtext today is zeroing in on
(06:53):
that reality because for thefirst time in the book of
Numbers they're actuallystarting to do something,
they're moving, they're not justcounting and taking the census,
and they're beginning to getout and follow the Lord, and so
leadership begins here.
Now, when I say leadership, youknow, one of the simplest
definitions is that leadershipis influence, and if that's true
, every single one in this room,every person, has the capacity
(07:15):
to lead.
Even if it's just leadingyourself, like when we talk
about calling, sending disciplemakers, we're talking about
leaders.
Mothers and fathers, you areleaders of your children.
Many of you lead communitiesand circles here within new city
.
Husbands, you lead your wivesand your family.
Many of you at work, you leadby example, even if not by role.
(07:38):
Okay.
So leadership core, it'ssomething that we all do and we
all get to share in, and solet's look at this text this
morning and see what doesleadership look like in the
wilderness?
I have one point, just onesentence, and it's this Lead in
the wilderness, honest to God,as a team by the Spirit.
Lead in the wilderness honestto God as a team by the Spirit.
(08:00):
If you have a Bible or a device,it's too long to be on the back
of your worship guide today, sogo ahead and get a Bible or
device open to Numbers 11.
We're going to look at verse 1together With that one main
point.
I'm just going to walk throughthis passage as we go.
Verse 1 says this and thepeople complained in the hearing
of the Lord about theirmisfortunes.
(08:23):
I'll pause for a moment.
You see, moses knew beforeHeifetz and Linsky that
leadership is just the art ofdisappointing people.
At a rate, they can handle.
They're out in the wilderness,they get going and they start
complaining.
That's just kind of how it goes.
And disappointment grows in thegap between our expectations
and our experience.
(08:44):
That gap is wheredisappointment grows.
And so what do we do withdisappointment?
What do we do with those unmetexpectations?
Well, god's people may groan,but they may never grumble.
Somebody put it like thiscomplaining is to the devil what
praise is to God.
Somebody put it like thiscomplaining is to the devil,
(09:04):
what praise is to God?
You see, we may mourn, but wemay never murmur.
It's not an option, it's not inour dialect.
There's a story about a womannamed Nina who made up her mind.
She was reading the book ofNumbers and she realized that if
complaining is the reason thatthe people of God didn't make it
into the promised land, thenmaybe she should stop.
And so she made a pact.
(09:25):
She said for 14 days I will notcomplain.
And it was a revelation to herof two things One, how
habituated she had become incomplaining, and two, how
different the world looks whenyou refuse to complain.
And so, as we look at this text,if one outcome of this sermon
(09:46):
is that you have a little bitmore of the fear of the Lord
over your words, that would be agood outcome.
It's a big deal.
Jesus in Matthew 12, 36 saysthat on the day of judgment,
people will give account forevery careless word they speak.
You will one day stand beforeJesus and every careless word
you will have to account for.
Every careless word they speak.
You will one day stand beforeJesus and every careless word
you will have to account for.
(10:07):
I think that includes online,and so I want the fear of the
Lord over us when we use ourtongues.
What's the big deal?
Why does it seem like God takesyour words more seriously than
you do?
Why does it seem like God takesyour words more seriously than
you do?
Well, because God knows thatyour words are like a dashboard
(10:31):
light for your soul.
You see, a complaining mouthreveals a craving heart.
In our cravings, we change jobsand churches and neighborhoods
and countries and wives, andeven our religion to suit our
cravings.
Malcolm Smith said it like thisevery detail of life that does
not fit into the framework ofself is the subject of complaint
(10:53):
.
That's what we see in the texthere.
Look at verse four.
It says now the rabble, that'sthis group that's causing
problems.
Now, the rabble that was amongthem had a strong craving, and
the people of Israel also weptagain.
Notice that there's this groupthat upsets the rest of the
people of Israel.
A little leaven leavens thewhole lump.
(11:13):
It goes on.
In verse four it says the peopleof Israel said oh that we had
meat to eat.
We remember the fish we ate inEgypt that cost nothing, cost
nothing.
Do you remember the death ofyour firstborn children?
Do you forget the countlesshours of manual labor?
Do you forget that it costs youyour freedom?
(11:36):
What is going on?
Well, many of us in this roomknow that our strong appetites
can cause a selective amnesia.
You see, what happens is thatthose of us who know what it's
like to experience the crazinessof craving, reality gets
distorted until you get what youwant, and then it all comes
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crashing back down on you again.
And so in verse six it saysthis but now our strength has
dried up and there's nothing atall but this manna to look at.
Now, the reality is is that theywere well supplied and manna
wasn't so bad.
Verses seven through nine arein the Bible to show them that
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actually, manna was prettydelicious.
It quote tasted of cakes bakedwith oil.
Our call to worship, psalm 78,said this man ate of the bread
of angels.
That's what manna is, the breadof angels, and he sent them
food in abundance.
You see, those verses seventhrough nine are in there to
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show you that the issue is neverwith our situation, it's always
with our heart.
They were well supplied with adelicious food that satisfied
angels, but it wasn't enough forthem and it's often not enough
for us.
You see, this is the humancondition.
Since Eve, who wanted, craved,desired the forbidden fruit that
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she was not allowed to eat, thetext says she was given every
other tree in the garden as foodDidn't matter.
God's one no, his 1,000 yesesdidn't matter.
The one no, is the one that shewanted.
You see, we're similar.
We crave what God withholds andwe are not content with what
(13:21):
God gives because we strugglewith this strong craving.
Now listen, because of this, ifyou're a leader, you better be
well acquainted with humannature because you're leading
humans.
This will be an important partbecause often for humans, for
many of us, what God gives isnever enough.
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Look at the text a littlefurther in verse 22.
This is Moses lamenting beforethe Lord.
He says shall flocks and herdsbe slaughtered for them and be
enough for them, or shall allthe fish of the sea be gathered
together for them and be enoughfor them?
Moses bows in awe before thedepth of human appetite.
(14:05):
He knows this is something hecannot do.
Now I'm not denying the pain ofthe present.
That's really important.
You see, disappointed desiresare deeply distressing.
I know this.
Elizabeth Eliot has my favoritedefinition of suffering.
She says suffering is havingwhat you do not want and wanting
(14:25):
what you do not have.
That's suffering.
And when Jesus comes back andmakes all things new, suffering
will be eradicated.
It's not the way it was meantto be, and so, in this meantime,
what do we do with our wants?
How do we handle our strongcravings?
Well, my main point is that welead in the wilderness.
Honest to God, honest to God.
(14:48):
Look at verse 10.
Moses heard the people weepingthroughout their clans, everyone
at the door of his tent and theanger of the Lord blazed hotly
and Moses was displeased.
Moses said to the Lord pausethere for a moment.
Go back up to verse one.
It says this and the peoplecomplained in the hearing of the
(15:09):
Lord.
But in verse 11, it says Mosessaid to the Lord you see, this
is the difference betweencomplaint and lament, between
grumbling and groaning, betweenmoaning and murmuring.
To whom do you direct yourdisappointed desires?
Look at verse 11.
(15:31):
Moses said to the Lord why haveyou dealt ill with your servant
and why have I not found favorin your sight that you lay the
burden of all this people on me?
Did I conceive all this people?
Did I give them birth?
That you should say to me carrythem in your bosom, as a nurse
carries a nursing child.
Now here's a key phrase to theland that you swore to give
(15:52):
their fathers.
You see, it's not only that wespeak to the Lord, but we also
plead his promises back to him.
That's lament.
But we also plead his promisesback to him.
That's lament.
You know, this promise that Godgives us is why we experience
the gap between expectations andexperience.
God has promised things thatset our expectations quite high,
(16:15):
and so we tell him that weremind him of that.
Don't you remember, lord?
You said this is honoring tohim.
Marcus Buckingham saysleadership is rallying others to
a better future.
As Christians, our betterfuture comes from the promises
of God.
We rally people towards thatfuture.
(16:37):
Look at verse 13.
Moses continues where am I toget meat to give to all this
people?
For they weep before me and saygive us meat that we may eat.
I want to slow down.
If you're a leader in this room, I want you to slow down over
verse 14.
Linger here, I am not able tocarry all this people alone.
(17:03):
The burden is too heavy for me.
You see, I think the notionthat it's lonely at the top is a
bug, not a feature of ourmodern models of leadership.
Moses felt it here.
He felt it because the burdenof leadership is always too
heavy for one person.
This is why I love theinternational justice mission
(17:25):
slogan we do the work, godcarries the weight.
It's the weight that crushes aleader.
That's what Moses is sayinghere, and so one of the reasons
why many people are timid tostep into their callings is
because they don't know what todo with the weight of that
calling and the leadership thatcomes with it.
And that's happening to Moseshere.
(17:46):
He's coming to the end himself.
Look at verse 15.
He says this if you will treatme like this, kill me at once If
I find favor in your sight thatI may not see my wretchedness.
What's happening here for Mosesis that he sees a cycle that is
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going from bad to worse.
There's already been twojudgments in our story One in
verses one through three,another one that happens in
verse four.
And so Moses is just seeingI've been given this calling to
carry this people from Egypt tothe promised land and it's only
going from bad to worse.
So far, it's too much.
(18:27):
I can't do this.
I cannot lead a group of peoplewhose hearts are hell-bent on
rejecting God Verse 20.
And so leaders, listen, youcannot work harder on people's
sanctification than they'rewilling to work themselves.
You'll exhaust yourself, andthat counts whether it's your
kids or your company.
You'll be exhausted as that,because you are not the Holy
(18:51):
Spirit.
That's whose job it is.
And so Moses says either easemy burden or erase me from your
plan, because I can't do this.
You see, leading alone can getdark if you're not careful.
He goes on to say if you loveme, end me that I may not see my
wretchedness, but slow downover that phrase.
(19:18):
There are deep wells ofself-awareness and
self-knowledge that are onlyavailable to people who take the
risk in stepping out to leadothers.
He knows he's going to see hisown wretchedness if he continues
on in this.
A friend of mine named Stuartsays leadership is God's
prescription to heal theleader's heart.
However you're leading,wherever you're leading right
now, I wonder if you experiencedthat, that this is God's
(19:39):
prescription to heal your heart.
That's what it was for Moses.
Moses is teetering on the brinkof despair in this moment.
He feels the leadershiptemptation to shut down his
heart and to go numb.
Heifetz and Linsky say it likethis the most difficult work of
leadership.
I wonder how you'd fill in thatblank there.
(20:02):
The most difficult work ofleadership involves learning to
experience distress withoutnumbing yourself.
You see, when we lead in thewilderness, we need to be honest
to God in lament.
It's the only way through.
Lament is a dialect of prayer.
It's not grumbling, it'sgroaning, because this is not
the way it's supposed to be.
(20:23):
Many of us have been groaningover the events of the past few
weeks here the assassination ofCharlie Kirk, the stabbing of a
young woman on a train, anotherschool shooting, all headlines
that seem more and more frequent.
How do we not numb ourselvesbefore this parade of evil?
(20:45):
Last week, pastor Jason led usinto lament over the violence in
our world, because leaders areoften lamenters in chief.
It's one of the things we do.
We give people permission, wedefine reality.
It's not supposed to be likethis.
Your fear and confusion andanger are legitimate, and so we
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grieve that gap between whatought to be and what is right
now, because, if not thesedeeply painful realities, they
have the power to weigh down oursoul to the point of numbness.
Jesus said this In Matthew 24,12,.
He said because lawlessnesswill be increased, the love of
many will grow cold.
(21:26):
Do you believe that we're inthat era?
We're in that age, we're in themoment when lawlessness is
increasing and the love of manyis growing cold.
And so what that means is thatit's our love for God, it's our
love for one another, and it'sour love even for our enemies
that keeps the wickedness ofthis hour out of our hearts.
(21:47):
And so there's one primaryantidote to the evil of our
times it's to keep your lovealive, it's to keep it awake, to
keep it burning.
How Well you can go online oryou can align your hearts with
(22:08):
the heart of God in lament.
When we lament the brokennessof our world, we're sharing in
the grief that God has over thebrokenness of our world.
We're drawing on our union withJesus.
We're sharing in communion withhim, and so I created a
document that I give to peopleall the time in my counseling
practice and pastoral ministry,and I just called a lament
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template from Psalm 13.
It should be on the screenbehind me here, and this is the
lament template Very simple.
You start with protest.
You protest the way that thingsare.
Actually, one and two should beflipped in the boxes there.
You start with protest.
You say God, this is the waythe world is and I'm not content
with it.
It's not okay with me.
And you move from protest intoprayer.
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You say, god, this is the waythe world is and I'm not content
with it.
It's not okay with me.
And you move from protest intoprayer.
You say this is what I want,god, this is what I'm asking for
from you.
And eventually you end inpraise.
You say God, regardless of mysituation and circumstances,
this is who you are.
This is who you are.
We'll put a link to this in theshow notes for anybody who wants
it.
But this is what I want toinvite us to Ask God what do I
(23:12):
do when I'm in pain?
Holy Spirit, teach me to lamentand not complain.
So when we lead in thewilderness, we need to be honest
to God as a team.
As a team.
That's the next thing, becauseI want to go back to the text
here.
Moses cannot bear up under thisunbearable burden.
(23:32):
So what's the answer to Moses'splight?
To become a Presbyterian?
I kid you not.
Look at the text.
Don't shoot the messenger.
Look at the text.
Here we go, verse 16.
Then the Lord said to Mosesgather for me 70 men of the
elders of Israel, whom you knowto be the elders of the people,
and officers over them, andbring them to.
(23:54):
I'm like very serious right now.
The beauty of Presbyterianism isthat there's a team at the top.
It's that we lead through thewilderness, honest to God, but
with a team.
As a team, there's nobody thatflies solo.
That's the design that God hashere, because leadership is a
(24:15):
constant renegotiation of yourown incompetencies.
So if you depend on one personto do it all, you're going to
experience a lot ofincompetencies.
Therefore, when Moses says, inverse 14, I'm not able to carry
all this people alone.
The burden's too heavy for me,the Lord responds with well,
suck it up, buttercup.
No, he doesn't.
(24:37):
The Lord responds with this Ofcourse.
Of course you can't.
I know your frame.
I remember that you were dust.
You need qualified leaders tobear the load.
It's the only way to do it.
And so, in verse 16, I love thislanguage let them take their
stand with you, moses.
That's what elders do.
(24:57):
They take their stand together.
Because when you lead together,you get to divide the burdens
but multiply the joys.
It's the joy of leading incommunity as a team.
And so, listen, wherever you'releading, you're only as lonely
as you allow.
You can invite people in, maybenot always to share the actual
(25:19):
burden with you, but to shareyour burden with you.
And so I want to be clear,though it's not enough for Moses
to become a Presbyterian, hehas to become a Presbycostal.
Look at verse 17 with me.
It says this and I will comedown and talk with you there,
and I will take some of thespirit that is on you and put it
on them, and they shall bearthe burden of the people with
(25:41):
you, so that you may not bear ityourself alone.
You see, because we lead in thewilderness, honest to God, as a
team, by the spirit, by thespirit.
What is the issue here?
Well, listen, the problem isn'tprimarily strategy or tactics.
The heart of the problem isalways the problem of the heart,
(26:04):
and that's what it is here.
There is no substance strongerin all of creation than a hard
human heart.
Adam and Adam ain't got nothingon a heart that's closed in on
itself, I'm telling you rightnow, and so leadership alone
won't get the job done.
What they need because of verse20 says this you have rejected
(26:25):
the Lord who is among you.
When people prefer Egypt overYahweh, you can't strategize
them out of that.
Or verse 78, psalm 78, our callto worship, said it like this
that the heart of the issue isbecause they did not believe in
God and did not trust his savingpower.
That the heart of the issue isbecause they did not believe in
God and did not trust his savingpower.
You cannot structure orstrategize out of unbelief in
(26:46):
the human heart.
What do we need?
We need spirit-led leaders whospeak the words of God.
That's what we need.
The spirit of God alone canexchange a heart of stone for a
tender heart.
That's what the Lord is givingas the antidote to the problem.
But Moses still isn't convinced.
And so, in verse 23, it saysthis and the Lord said to Moses
(27:09):
is the Lord's hand shortened?
Now you shall see whether myword will come true for you or
not.
My translation is do I haveT-Rex arms?
Do I not have the ability toreach out and do something here?
You, because Christianleadership is not primarily
about looking at principles of aGod who used to do things in
(27:31):
the past.
Christian leadership takes itsstand on what I like to call
insistent realism, that God is aliving, active, present reality
in our moment, right here,right now.
Or, to quote the Lord, or not.
That's it Dividing line.
Is he in our midst, is he amongus here today or not?
(27:51):
That's what the Lord ischallenging Moses with, and the
Lord's putting himself on thechopping block if he doesn't
show up and come through.
And so, because this is true,because insistent realism is the
core of Christian leadership,it's about to get weird in our
passage.
Look with me at verse 25.
Then the Lord came down in thecloud and spoke to him and took
(28:12):
some of the spirit that was onhim and put it on the 70 elders.
And as soon as the spiritrested on them, they prophesied,
but they did not continue doingit.
Now watch what happens next.
Rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not continue
doing it.
Now watch what happens next.
Now two men verse 26, remainedin the camp, one named Eldad and
the other Medad, and the spiritrested on them.
They were among thoseregistered, but they had not
gone out to the tent, and sothey prophesied in the camp.
(28:35):
And a young man ran and toldMoses, eldad and Medad are
prophesying in the camp.
We'll pause there for a moment.
Commentators don't really knowwhat's going on here, which
doesn't help a preacher, and soI believe God is winking right
now.
You see, eldad means beloved ofGod, medad means the beloved.
(28:57):
I believe God is showing hishand that the spirit rests not
on the impressive but on thebeloved.
I believe God is showing hishand that the spirit rests not
on the impressive but on thebeloved.
I believe that what God isdoing here is he's painting a
picture of the future, of acommunity of the beloved in the
beloved, full of the spirit andI think Moses, whose eyes are
(29:17):
always on the face of God,catches the wink.
That's why, in verse 28, whenJoshua, moses' disciple, joshua,
the son of Nun, the assistantof Moses from his youth, said my
Lord, moses, stop them.
But Moses said to him are youjealous for my sake, would that
all the Lord's people wereprophets, that the Lord would
put his spirit on them?
(29:38):
You see, what is the cure for apeople with a strong craving
for flesh?
The apostle Paul tells us inGalatians 5.16, walk by the
spirit and you will not gratifythe desires of the flesh.
The spirit was given in thetext.
We don't have time to look atthis closely.
(29:59):
If you look at verse 24, thespirit was given near the tent,
the place where God dwells atthe center, but the quail fell
outside the camp, far from God.
Verse 31,.
Because the spirit draws peopleto God for life.
The flesh draws people awayfrom God to death.
This is the movement of ourpassage here.
This is why every church leadershares Moses' ache in verse 29.
(30:23):
Oh, if only all the Lord'speople were prophets and the
Lord would place his spirit onthem.
What would it be like if thespirit of God was in all of you
to walk humbly, to lead wisely,to speak the words of God with
power.
That's why the Lord's workingon me on this.
I don't like the metaphor sheepvery much.
(30:44):
I prefer the metaphor saints.
Why?
Because the primary metaphorfor the people of God that
shapes your imagination for whoyou are really matters, and
there's a dozen of them inscripture.
We've privileged sheep for along time and I think that the
effect of that has been todomesticate the people of God.
But what if you were saints,holy ones, because you're
(31:09):
indwelt with the spirit of theholy and living God?
What if that was the primarymetaphor we talked about?
What if that shaped the waythat we viewed ourselves?
What if New City lived by thebelief that the Spirit of God
has been poured out on all of uswho belong to Jesus?
You see, the cure for ourcravings is a whole church.
Who knows what Westminstercalls the Holy Spirit speaking
(31:31):
in the Scripture?
When that happens, when NewCity gets to lean in a step into
all that it means to be apost-Pentecost church, we will
see amazing things happen.
Why, what's the big deal?
Well, I believe in my readingof Scripture from Genesis to
Revelation that all that Jesuscame to do reaches its full
(31:54):
bloom in our time by the sendingof the Holy Spirit.
You see, moses' longing that allthe Lord's people would receive
his spirit was fulfilledthrough Christ on the day of
Pentecost.
In Acts 2.17, peter picks up onJoel, who picked up on Moses,
and says this and in the lastdays that shall be, god declares
(32:14):
that I will pour out my spiriton all flesh that all your sons
and your daughters shallprophesy.
You see, jesus Christ came downlike the manna from heaven to
feed our faith with his verylife.
But Jesus gave himself to thefire of judgment to satisfy our
strong cravings with himself, sothat we might have our fill in
(32:36):
him.
But that's not it.
He does so much more.
After his obedience unto death,jesus went back up to heaven to
fulfill verse 17.
I will take some of the spiritthat is on you and put it on
them.
And so, being raised from thedead and exalted to the right
hand of God, jesus received thepromise from the father and
(32:57):
poured out the Holy Spirit uponhis people.
Jesus received the promise fromthe Father and poured out the
Holy Spirit upon his people, andthere is no way that you can
overestimate the preciousness ofthe gift of the Holy Spirit,
because this is how we lead inthe wilderness honest to God, as
a team, by the Spirit.
Let's pray, father.
(33:20):
We come before you now, andLuke 11, 13 says that if we who
are evil know how to give goodgifts to our children, how much
more will your Father in heavengive the Holy Spirit to those
who ask him?
And so we ask you now, lord,give us your Spirit in greater
measure than we experience now.
We want to walk by the spiritso that we do not, we don't
(33:45):
satisfy the cravings, the strongcravings of our flesh.
Lord Jesus, your flesh wascrucified and risen so that we
could walk in newness of life.
We pray this in your name, amen.
Hello everyone.
This is Pastor Benjamin.
You're listening to a sermonaudio from New City, orlando.
At New City, we long to see ourFather answer the Lord's prayer
.
For more resources, visit ourwebsite at newcityorlandocom.
Evan Pederson (00:21):
Please pray with me.
Please pray with me, holySpirit.
Make us hungry for your wordthat it may satisfy us, lead us
and bring us life Through JesusChrist, our Lord.
Amen, numbers 11.
Please remain standing if youare able.
(00:42):
And the people complained in thehearing of the Lord about their
misfortunes, and when the Lordheard it, his anger was kindled
and the fire of the Lord burnedamong them and consumed some
outlying parts of the camp.
Then the people cried out toMoses and Moses prayed to the
Lord and the fire died down.
So the name of that place wascalled Taberah, because the fire
(01:05):
of the Lord burned among them.
Now the rabble that was amongthem had a strong craving and
the people of Israel also weptand said oh that we had meat to
eat.
We remember the fish we ate inEgypt that cost nothing the
cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions and the garlic.
But now our strength is driedup and there's nothing at all
(01:25):
but this manna to look at.
Moses heard the people weepingthroughout their clans, everyone
at the door of his tent, andthe anger of the Lord blazed
hotly and Moses was displeased.
Moses said to the Lord why haveyou dealt ill with your servant
and why have I not found favorin your sight that you lay the
burden of all this people on me?
(01:46):
Did I conceive all this people?
Did I give them birth that youshould say to me carry them in
your bosom, as a nurse carries anursing child to the land that
you swore to their father togive their fathers.
Where am I to get meat to giveto all this people?
For they weep before me and saygive us meat that we may eat.
I am not able to carry all thispeople alone.
(02:08):
The burden is too heavy for me.
If you'll treat me like this,kill me at once, if I find favor
in your sight that I may notsee my wretchedness.
Then the Lord said to Mosesgather for me 70 men of the
elders of Israel, whom you knowto be the elders of the people,
and officers over them, andbring them to the tent of
(02:28):
meeting and let them take theirstand there with you and I will
come down and talk with youthere and I will take some of
the spirit that is on you andput it on them and they shall
bear the burden of the peoplewith you, so that you may not
bear it yourself alone and sayto the people consecrate
yourselves for tomorrow and youshall eat meat, for you have
(02:51):
wept in the hearing of the Lordsaying who will give us meat to
eat, for it was better for us inEgypt.
Therefore, the Lord will giveyou meat and you shall eat.
And the Lord said to Moses Isthe Lord's hand shortened?
Now you shall see whether myword will come true for you or
not.
So Moses went out and told thepeople the words of the Lord,
(03:13):
and he gathered 70 men of theelders of the people and placed
them around the tent.
Then the Lord came down in thecloud and spoke to him and took
some of the spirit that was onhim and put it on the 70 elders.
And as soon as the spiritrested on them, they prophesied,
but they did not continue doingit.
Now two men remained in thecamp, one named Eldad and the
(03:36):
other named Medad, and thespirit rested on them.
They were among thoseregistered, but they had not
gone out to the tent, and sothey prophesied in the camp.
And a young man ran and toldMoses Eldad and Medad are
prophesying in the camp.
And Joshua, the son of Nun, theassistant of Moses from his
youth, said my Lord, moses, stopthem.
But Moses said to him are youjealous for my sake?
(03:58):
Would that all the Lord'speople were prophets that the
Lord would put his spirit onthem?
And Moses and the elders ofIsrael returned to the camp
While the meat was yet betweentheir teeth before it was
consumed, the anger of the Lordwas kindled against the people
and the Lord struck down thepeople with a very great plague.
(04:20):
Therefore the name of thatplace was called Kibrath-Hatava,
because there they buried thepeople who had the craving.
From Kibrath-Hatava, the peoplejourneyed to Hazaroth and they
remained at Hazaroth.
This is God's word.
Rev. Benjamin Kandt (04:39):
I work out at a calisthenics park near my
house that my kidsaffectionately call the bars,
which is funny.
When they say, mommy, are wegoing to the bars with dad this
afternoon, the answer is almostalways yes.
And about three years ago I meta young man named Dylan there
who told me that he was thinkingabout joining the Navy because
(05:01):
he wanted to learn leadership,to which at the time we were
preaching through the book ofExodus.
So I said I know of a greatbook on leadership.
It's called Exodus.
Have you ever read it?
He said no.
But that began a friendshipthat lasted until today, and so
Dylan actually joined us for thebook of Exodus.
He came to Christ in the bookof Leviticus and he's here now
(05:22):
today for the book of Numbers.
But let me ask you this Was Ijust being sly when I said that
the book of Exodus was aboutleadership?
Like isn't the Bible reallyjust about?
Like spiritual things, nebulous, heavenly, whatever but like
the real life, practical,tactical realities of leadership
in the book of Exodus, or thebook of Numbers for that matter?
(05:46):
Well, last week Pastor Kennyshowed us in Numbers 9 and 10
that the Lord is leading hispeople in the wilderness, and I
have a conviction that if theLord can do it through people,
he will do it through people.
Augustine of Hippo says it likethis without God we cannot.
Without us, god will not.
You see, god's delight is towork through people, and so when
(06:09):
God leads in the wilderness, heleads through people, and so
our text today really is aboutleading leadership.
What does that look like?
But don't take my word for it,my favorite commentator, michael
Morales.
He says it like this leadershipof the covenant community is
the soul of numbers.
One rabbi said nearly everyfailure in the book of numbers
(06:32):
revolves around a failure ofleadership.
One commentator, I think tryingto boost the PR of the book of
numbers, said we should retitleit the book of leadership,
because that's actually what itis in.
The PR of the book of Numberssaid we should retitle it the
book of leadership becausethat's actually what it is in
the Bible.
The book of Numbers is aboutleadership.
That's what it's about, and ourtext today is zeroing in on
(06:53):
that reality because for thefirst time in the book of
Numbers they're actuallystarting to do something,
they're moving, they're not justcounting and taking the census,
and they're beginning to getout and follow the Lord, and so
leadership begins here.
Now, when I say leadership, youknow, one of the simplest
definitions is that leadershipis influence, and if that's true
, every single one in this room,every person, has the capacity
(07:15):
to lead.
Even if it's just leadingyourself, like when we talk
about calling, sending disciplemakers, we're talking about
leaders.
Mothers and fathers, you areleaders of your children.
Many of you lead communitiesand circles here within new city
.
Husbands, you lead your wivesand your family.
Many of you at work, you leadby example, even if not by role.
(07:38):
Okay.
So leadership core, it'ssomething that we all do and we
all get to share in, and solet's look at this text this
morning and see what doesleadership look like in the
wilderness?
I have one point, just onesentence, and it's this Lead in
the wilderness, honest to God,as a team by the Spirit.
Lead in the wilderness honestto God as a team by the Spirit.
(08:00):
If you have a Bible or a device,it's too long to be on the back
of your worship guide today, sogo ahead and get a Bible or
device open to Numbers 11.
We're going to look at verse 1together With that one main
point.
I'm just going to walk throughthis passage as we go.
Verse 1 says this and thepeople complained in the hearing
of the Lord about theirmisfortunes.
(08:23):
I'll pause for a moment.
You see, moses knew beforeHeifetz and Linsky that
leadership is just the art ofdisappointing people.
At a rate, they can handle.
They're out in the wilderness,they get going and they start
complaining.
That's just kind of how it goes.
And disappointment grows in thegap between our expectations
and our experience.
(08:44):
That gap is wheredisappointment grows.
And so what do we do withdisappointment?
What do we do with those unmetexpectations?
Well, god's people may groan,but they may never grumble.
Somebody put it like thiscomplaining is to the devil what
praise is to God.
Somebody put it like thiscomplaining is to the devil,
(09:04):
what praise is to God?
You see, we may mourn, but wemay never murmur.
It's not an option, it's not inour dialect.
There's a story about a womannamed Nina who made up her mind.
She was reading the book ofNumbers and she realized that if
complaining is the reason thatthe people of God didn't make it
into the promised land, thenmaybe she should stop.
And so she made a pact.
(09:25):
She said for 14 days I will notcomplain.
And it was a revelation to herof two things One, how
habituated she had become incomplaining, and two, how
different the world looks whenyou refuse to complain.
And so, as we look at this text,if one outcome of this sermon
(09:46):
is that you have a little bitmore of the fear of the Lord
over your words, that would be agood outcome.
It's a big deal.
Jesus in Matthew 12, 36 saysthat on the day of judgment,
people will give account forevery careless word they speak.
You will one day stand beforeJesus and every careless word
you will have to account for.
Every careless word they speak.
You will one day stand beforeJesus and every careless word
you will have to account for.
(10:07):
I think that includes online,and so I want the fear of the
Lord over us when we use ourtongues.
What's the big deal?
Why does it seem like God takesyour words more seriously than
you do?
Why does it seem like God takesyour words more seriously than
you do?
Well, because God knows thatyour words are like a dashboard
(10:31):
light for your soul.
You see, a complaining mouthreveals a craving heart.
In our cravings, we change jobsand churches and neighborhoods
and countries and wives, andeven our religion to suit our
cravings.
Malcolm Smith said it like thisevery detail of life that does
not fit into the framework ofself is the subject of complaint
(10:53):
.
That's what we see in the texthere.
Look at verse four.
It says now the rabble, that'sthis group that's causing
problems.
Now, the rabble that was amongthem had a strong craving, and
the people of Israel also weptagain.
Notice that there's this groupthat upsets the rest of the
people of Israel.
A little leaven leavens thewhole lump.
(11:13):
It goes on.
In verse four it says the peopleof Israel said oh that we had
meat to eat.
We remember the fish we ate inEgypt that cost nothing, cost
nothing.
Do you remember the death ofyour firstborn children?
Do you forget the countlesshours of manual labor?
Do you forget that it costs youyour freedom?
(11:36):
What is going on?
Well, many of us in this roomknow that our strong appetites
can cause a selective amnesia.
You see, what happens is thatthose of us who know what it's
like to experience the crazinessof craving, reality gets
distorted until you get what youwant, and then it all comes
(11:57):
crashing back down on you again.
And so in verse six it saysthis but now our strength has
dried up and there's nothing atall but this manna to look at.
Now, the reality is is that theywere well supplied and manna
wasn't so bad.
Verses seven through nine arein the Bible to show them that
(12:17):
actually, manna was prettydelicious.
It quote tasted of cakes bakedwith oil.
Our call to worship, psalm 78,said this man ate of the bread
of angels.
That's what manna is, the breadof angels, and he sent them
food in abundance.
You see, those verses seventhrough nine are in there to
(12:38):
show you that the issue is neverwith our situation, it's always
with our heart.
They were well supplied with adelicious food that satisfied
angels, but it wasn't enough forthem and it's often not enough
for us.
You see, this is the humancondition.
Since Eve, who wanted, craved,desired the forbidden fruit that
(12:59):
she was not allowed to eat, thetext says she was given every
other tree in the garden as foodDidn't matter.
God's one no, his 1,000 yesesdidn't matter.
The one no, is the one that shewanted.
You see, we're similar.
We crave what God withholds andwe are not content with what
(13:21):
God gives because we strugglewith this strong craving.
Now listen, because of this, ifyou're a leader, you better be
well acquainted with humannature because you're leading
humans.
This will be an important partbecause often for humans, for
many of us, what God gives isnever enough.
(13:42):
Look at the text a littlefurther in verse 22.
This is Moses lamenting beforethe Lord.
He says shall flocks and herdsbe slaughtered for them and be
enough for them, or shall allthe fish of the sea be gathered
together for them and be enoughfor them?
Moses bows in awe before thedepth of human appetite.
(14:05):
He knows this is something hecannot do.
Now I'm not denying the pain ofthe present.
That's really important.
You see, disappointed desiresare deeply distressing.
I know this.
Elizabeth Eliot has my favoritedefinition of suffering.
She says suffering is havingwhat you do not want and wanting
(14:25):
what you do not have.
That's suffering.
And when Jesus comes back andmakes all things new, suffering
will be eradicated.
It's not the way it was meantto be, and so, in this meantime,
what do we do with our wants?
How do we handle our strongcravings?
Well, my main point is that welead in the wilderness.
Honest to God, honest to God.
(14:48):
Look at verse 10.
Moses heard the people weepingthroughout their clans, everyone
at the door of his tent and theanger of the Lord blazed hotly
and Moses was displeased.
Moses said to the Lord pausethere for a moment.
Go back up to verse one.
It says this and the peoplecomplained in the hearing of the
(15:09):
Lord.
But in verse 11, it says Mosessaid to the Lord you see, this
is the difference betweencomplaint and lament, between
grumbling and groaning, betweenmoaning and murmuring.
To whom do you direct yourdisappointed desires?
Look at verse 11.
(15:31):
Moses said to the Lord why haveyou dealt ill with your servant
and why have I not found favorin your sight that you lay the
burden of all this people on me?
Did I conceive all this people?
Did I give them birth?
That you should say to me carrythem in your bosom, as a nurse
carries a nursing child.
Now here's a key phrase to theland that you swore to give
(15:52):
their fathers.
You see, it's not only that wespeak to the Lord, but we also
plead his promises back to him.
That's lament.
But we also plead his promisesback to him.
That's lament.
You know, this promise that Godgives us is why we experience
the gap between expectations andexperience.
God has promised things thatset our expectations quite high,
(16:15):
and so we tell him that weremind him of that.
Don't you remember, lord?
You said this is honoring tohim.
Marcus Buckingham saysleadership is rallying others to
a better future.
As Christians, our betterfuture comes from the promises
of God.
We rally people towards thatfuture.
(16:37):
Look at verse 13.
Moses continues where am I toget meat to give to all this
people?
For they weep before me and saygive us meat that we may eat.
I want to slow down.
If you're a leader in this room, I want you to slow down over
verse 14.
Linger here, I am not able tocarry all this people alone.
(17:03):
The burden is too heavy for me.
You see, I think the notionthat it's lonely at the top is a
bug, not a feature of ourmodern models of leadership.
Moses felt it here.
He felt it because the burdenof leadership is always too
heavy for one person.
This is why I love theinternational justice mission
(17:25):
slogan we do the work, godcarries the weight.
It's the weight that crushes aleader.
That's what Moses is sayinghere, and so one of the reasons
why many people are timid tostep into their callings is
because they don't know what todo with the weight of that
calling and the leadership thatcomes with it.
And that's happening to Moseshere.
(17:46):
He's coming to the end himself.
Look at verse 15.
He says this if you will treatme like this, kill me at once If
I find favor in your sight thatI may not see my wretchedness.
What's happening here for Mosesis that he sees a cycle that is
(18:06):
going from bad to worse.
There's already been twojudgments in our story One in
verses one through three,another one that happens in
verse four.
And so Moses is just seeingI've been given this calling to
carry this people from Egypt tothe promised land and it's only
going from bad to worse.
So far, it's too much.
(18:27):
I can't do this.
I cannot lead a group of peoplewhose hearts are hell-bent on
rejecting God Verse 20.
And so leaders, listen, youcannot work harder on people's
sanctification than they'rewilling to work themselves.
You'll exhaust yourself, andthat counts whether it's your
kids or your company.
You'll be exhausted as that,because you are not the Holy
(18:51):
Spirit.
That's whose job it is.
And so Moses says either easemy burden or erase me from your
plan, because I can't do this.
You see, leading alone can getdark if you're not careful.
He goes on to say if you loveme, end me that I may not see my
wretchedness, but slow downover that phrase.
(19:18):
There are deep wells ofself-awareness and
self-knowledge that are onlyavailable to people who take the
risk in stepping out to leadothers.
He knows he's going to see hisown wretchedness if he continues
on in this.
A friend of mine named Stuartsays leadership is God's
prescription to heal theleader's heart.
However you're leading,wherever you're leading right
now, I wonder if you experiencedthat, that this is God's
(19:39):
prescription to heal your heart.
That's what it was for Moses.
Moses is teetering on the brinkof despair in this moment.
He feels the leadershiptemptation to shut down his
heart and to go numb.
Heifetz and Linsky say it likethis the most difficult work of
leadership.
I wonder how you'd fill in thatblank there.
(20:02):
The most difficult work ofleadership involves learning to
experience distress withoutnumbing yourself.
You see, when we lead in thewilderness, we need to be honest
to God in lament.
It's the only way through.
Lament is a dialect of prayer.
It's not grumbling, it'sgroaning, because this is not
the way it's supposed to be.
(20:23):
Many of us have been groaningover the events of the past few
weeks here the assassination ofCharlie Kirk, the stabbing of a
young woman on a train, anotherschool shooting, all headlines
that seem more and more frequent.
How do we not numb ourselvesbefore this parade of evil?
(20:45):
Last week, pastor Jason led usinto lament over the violence in
our world, because leaders areoften lamenters in chief.
It's one of the things we do.
We give people permission, wedefine reality.
It's not supposed to be likethis.
Your fear and confusion andanger are legitimate, and so we
(21:06):
grieve that gap between whatought to be and what is right
now, because, if not thesedeeply painful realities, they
have the power to weigh down oursoul to the point of numbness.
Jesus said this In Matthew 24,12,.
He said because lawlessnesswill be increased, the love of
many will grow cold.
(21:26):
Do you believe that we're inthat era?
We're in that age, we're in themoment when lawlessness is
increasing and the love of manyis growing cold.
And so what that means is thatit's our love for God, it's our
love for one another, and it'sour love even for our enemies
that keeps the wickedness ofthis hour out of our hearts.
(21:47):
And so there's one primaryantidote to the evil of our
times it's to keep your lovealive, it's to keep it awake, to
keep it burning.
How Well you can go online oryou can align your hearts with
(22:08):
the heart of God in lament.
When we lament the brokennessof our world, we're sharing in
the grief that God has over thebrokenness of our world.
We're drawing on our union withJesus.
We're sharing in communion withhim, and so I created a
document that I give to peopleall the time in my counseling
practice and pastoral ministry,and I just called a lament
(22:30):
template from Psalm 13.
It should be on the screenbehind me here, and this is the
lament template Very simple.
You start with protest.
You protest the way that thingsare.
Actually, one and two should beflipped in the boxes there.
You start with protest.
You say God, this is the waythe world is and I'm not content
with it.
It's not okay with me.
And you move from protest intoprayer.
(22:51):
You say, god, this is the waythe world is and I'm not content
with it.
It's not okay with me.
And you move from protest intoprayer.
You say this is what I want,god, this is what I'm asking for
from you.
And eventually you end inpraise.
You say God, regardless of mysituation and circumstances,
this is who you are.
This is who you are.
We'll put a link to this in theshow notes for anybody who wants
it.
But this is what I want toinvite us to Ask God what do I
(23:12):
do when I'm in pain?
Holy Spirit, teach me to lamentand not complain.
So when we lead in thewilderness, we need to be honest
to God as a team.
As a team.
That's the next thing, becauseI want to go back to the text
here.
Moses cannot bear up under thisunbearable burden.
(23:32):
So what's the answer to Moses'splight?
To become a Presbyterian?
I kid you not.
Look at the text.
Don't shoot the messenger.
Look at the text.
Here we go, verse 16.
Then the Lord said to Mosesgather for me 70 men of the
elders of Israel, whom you knowto be the elders of the people,
and officers over them, andbring them to.
(23:54):
I'm like very serious right now.
The beauty of Presbyterianism isthat there's a team at the top.
It's that we lead through thewilderness, honest to God, but
with a team.
As a team, there's nobody thatflies solo.
That's the design that God hashere, because leadership is a
(24:15):
constant renegotiation of yourown incompetencies.
So if you depend on one personto do it all, you're going to
experience a lot ofincompetencies.
Therefore, when Moses says, inverse 14, I'm not able to carry
all this people alone.
The burden's too heavy for me,the Lord responds with well,
suck it up, buttercup.
No, he doesn't.
(24:37):
The Lord responds with this Ofcourse.
Of course you can't.
I know your frame.
I remember that you were dust.
You need qualified leaders tobear the load.
It's the only way to do it.
And so, in verse 16, I love thislanguage let them take their
stand with you, moses.
That's what elders do.
(24:57):
They take their stand together.
Because when you lead together,you get to divide the burdens
but multiply the joys.
It's the joy of leading incommunity as a team.
And so, listen, wherever you'releading, you're only as lonely
as you allow.
You can invite people in, maybenot always to share the actual
(25:19):
burden with you, but to shareyour burden with you.
And so I want to be clear,though it's not enough for Moses
to become a Presbyterian, hehas to become a Presbycostal.
Look at verse 17 with me.
It says this and I will comedown and talk with you there,
and I will take some of thespirit that is on you and put it
on them, and they shall bearthe burden of the people with
(25:41):
you, so that you may not bear ityourself alone.
You see, because we lead in thewilderness, honest to God, as a
team, by the spirit, by thespirit.
What is the issue here?
Well, listen, the problem isn'tprimarily strategy or tactics.
The heart of the problem isalways the problem of the heart,
(26:04):
and that's what it is here.
There is no substance strongerin all of creation than a hard
human heart.
Adam and Adam ain't got nothingon a heart that's closed in on
itself, I'm telling you rightnow, and so leadership alone
won't get the job done.
What they need because of verse20 says this you have rejected
(26:25):
the Lord who is among you.
When people prefer Egypt overYahweh, you can't strategize
them out of that.
Or verse 78, psalm 78, our callto worship, said it like this
that the heart of the issue isbecause they did not believe in
God and did not trust his savingpower.
That the heart of the issue isbecause they did not believe in
God and did not trust his savingpower.
You cannot structure orstrategize out of unbelief in
(26:46):
the human heart.
What do we need?
We need spirit-led leaders whospeak the words of God.
That's what we need.
The spirit of God alone canexchange a heart of stone for a
tender heart.
That's what the Lord is givingas the antidote to the problem.
But Moses still isn't convinced.
And so, in verse 23, it saysthis and the Lord said to Moses
(27:09):
is the Lord's hand shortened?
Now you shall see whether myword will come true for you or
not.
My translation is do I haveT-Rex arms?
Do I not have the ability toreach out and do something here?
You, because Christianleadership is not primarily
about looking at principles of aGod who used to do things in
(27:31):
the past.
Christian leadership takes itsstand on what I like to call
insistent realism, that God is aliving, active, present reality
in our moment, right here,right now.
Or, to quote the Lord, or not.
That's it Dividing line.
Is he in our midst, is he amongus here today or not?
(27:51):
That's what the Lord ischallenging Moses with, and the
Lord's putting himself on thechopping block if he doesn't
show up and come through.
And so, because this is true,because insistent realism is the
core of Christian leadership,it's about to get weird in our
passage.
Look with me at verse 25.
Then the Lord came down in thecloud and spoke to him and took
(28:12):
some of the spirit that was onhim and put it on the 70 elders.
And as soon as the spiritrested on them, they prophesied,
but they did not continue doingit.
Now watch what happens next.
Rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not continue
doing it.
Now watch what happens next.
Now two men verse 26, remainedin the camp, one named Eldad and
the other Medad, and the spiritrested on them.
They were among thoseregistered, but they had not
gone out to the tent, and sothey prophesied in the camp.
(28:35):
And a young man ran and toldMoses, eldad and Medad are
prophesying in the camp.
We'll pause there for a moment.
Commentators don't really knowwhat's going on here, which
doesn't help a preacher, and soI believe God is winking right
now.
You see, eldad means beloved ofGod, medad means the beloved.
(28:57):
I believe God is showing hishand that the spirit rests not
on the impressive but on thebeloved.
I believe God is showing hishand that the spirit rests not
on the impressive but on thebeloved.
I believe that what God isdoing here is he's painting a
picture of the future, of acommunity of the beloved in the
beloved, full of the spirit andI think Moses, whose eyes are
(29:17):
always on the face of God,catches the wink.
That's why, in verse 28, whenJoshua, moses' disciple, joshua,
the son of Nun, the assistantof Moses from his youth, said my
Lord, moses, stop them.
But Moses said to him are youjealous for my sake, would that
all the Lord's people wereprophets, that the Lord would
put his spirit on them?
(29:38):
You see, what is the cure for apeople with a strong craving
for flesh?
The apostle Paul tells us inGalatians 5.16, walk by the
spirit and you will not gratifythe desires of the flesh.
The spirit was given in thetext.
We don't have time to look atthis closely.
(29:59):
If you look at verse 24, thespirit was given near the tent,
the place where God dwells atthe center, but the quail fell
outside the camp, far from God.
Verse 31,.
Because the spirit draws peopleto God for life.
The flesh draws people awayfrom God to death.
This is the movement of ourpassage here.
This is why every church leadershares Moses' ache in verse 29.
(30:23):
Oh, if only all the Lord'speople were prophets and the
Lord would place his spirit onthem.
What would it be like if thespirit of God was in all of you
to walk humbly, to lead wisely,to speak the words of God with
power.
That's why the Lord's workingon me on this.
I don't like the metaphor sheepvery much.
(30:44):
I prefer the metaphor saints.
Why?
Because the primary metaphorfor the people of God that
shapes your imagination for whoyou are really matters, and
there's a dozen of them inscripture.
We've privileged sheep for along time and I think that the
effect of that has been todomesticate the people of God.
But what if you were saints,holy ones, because you're
(31:09):
indwelt with the spirit of theholy and living God?
What if that was the primarymetaphor we talked about?
What if that shaped the waythat we viewed ourselves?
What if New City lived by thebelief that the Spirit of God
has been poured out on all of uswho belong to Jesus?
You see, the cure for ourcravings is a whole church.
Who knows what Westminstercalls the Holy Spirit speaking
(31:31):
in the Scripture?
When that happens, when NewCity gets to lean in a step into
all that it means to be apost-Pentecost church, we will
see amazing things happen.
Why, what's the big deal?
Well, I believe in my readingof Scripture from Genesis to
Revelation that all that Jesuscame to do reaches its full
(31:54):
bloom in our time by the sendingof the Holy Spirit.
You see, moses' longing that allthe Lord's people would receive
his spirit was fulfilledthrough Christ on the day of
Pentecost.
In Acts 2.17, peter picks up onJoel, who picked up on Moses,
and says this and in the lastdays that shall be, god declares
(32:14):
that I will pour out my spiriton all flesh that all your sons
and your daughters shallprophesy.
You see, jesus Christ came downlike the manna from heaven to
feed our faith with his verylife.
But Jesus gave himself to thefire of judgment to satisfy our
strong cravings with himself, sothat we might have our fill in
(32:36):
him.
But that's not it.
He does so much more.
After his obedience unto death,jesus went back up to heaven to
fulfill verse 17.
I will take some of the spiritthat is on you and put it on
them.
And so, being raised from thedead and exalted to the right
hand of God, jesus received thepromise from the father and
(32:57):
poured out the Holy Spirit uponhis people.
Jesus received the promise fromthe Father and poured out the
Holy Spirit upon his people, andthere is no way that you can
overestimate the preciousness ofthe gift of the Holy Spirit,
because this is how we lead inthe wilderness honest to God, as
a team, by the Spirit.
Let's pray, father.
(33:20):
We come before you now, andLuke 11, 13 says that if we who
are evil know how to give goodgifts to our children, how much
more will your Father in heavengive the Holy Spirit to those
who ask him?
And so we ask you now, lord,give us your Spirit in greater
measure than we experience now.
We want to walk by the spiritso that we do not, we don't
(33:45):
satisfy the cravings, the strongcravings of our flesh.
Lord Jesus, your flesh wascrucified and risen so that we
could walk in newness of life.
We pray this in your name, amen.
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