Will Our Generation Finish the Work?

The origin of my sermon today began about 30 years ago. I guess you could say this is 30 years in the making. It's a result of a simple offhand remark that was made by another minister to me 30 years ago, and his remark was made during a trial that the church was experiencing at that time. But before I tell you what it is, what he said, I'd like us to review some biblical background material, and then I think it will make more sense to you.

Today I'd like to explore the biblical example of the ancient Israelites, some of the things that they felt, that they experienced, that they said, that they did, and see if there's something that we can learn in the 21st century from their example, and by reading their lessons. And then after we do that, I'd like to tell you about the minister's offhand remark to me 30 years ago, and we'll ponder whether what he said is true or not. Let's begin by turning to Exodus chapter 19.

If you'll turn there with me, Exodus chapter 19. We're all familiar with the ancient Israelite peoples. God called an entire generation out of physical slavery and a culture of sin. I want you to imagine the great God bringing the most powerful nation on earth to its knees at that time, to bring out a few million people to freedom. Something that the Egyptians of their own would have never allowed to happen. What a miracle that was, and thankfully it's recorded for us in the Word of God.

And this same God revealed his presence and his miraculous power to these people over and over again. The first of the plagues, he actually protected them so that the plagues that affected the Egyptians didn't affect them. And plague after plague occurred, and eventually, in spite of the fact that Pharaoh's heart was hardened, Pharaoh, of course, representing Satan, Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he would allow God's people to go, eventually, through trials and plagues, Egypt let God's people go. But we know it wasn't over then because after journeying a while, they faced the Red Sea in what appeared to be complete death or annihilation.

Yet God once again intervened on behalf of this people and showed his miraculous power to them. God fervently loved the ancient Israelites. And this generation that had come out of Egypt, he desired to give them a very special opportunity.

It was a gift. And God said, it's your gift. You can either accept this gift or if you don't accept this gift, I will give it to someone else. Let's see what God had in mind for these people. Exodus 19, beginning in verse 1. It says in the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of Egypt, on the same day they came to the wilderness of Sinai, for they had departed from Rephidim and come to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness.

And Israel camped there before the mountain, and Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, Thus you will say to the house of Jacob and tell the children of Israel, You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagle's wings and brought you to myself.

And for each of us in our own way, God did that in a spiritual sense. He brought us out of this world. He opened our minds to understanding his way of life. And we decided it was time to get out of the world and follow that calling. Verse 5. So God had called this generation of Israelites out of Egypt, and it revealed who he was to them. He was about to give them his eternal laws and his values, and he was about to help them to understand about his very character.

Who and what God was, and it was his hope that they would emulate God, that they would desire to become like him. This very generation of Israel was a type of the future kingdom of God. They were a physical people, a physical nation, but they were a type of a spiritual people and a spiritual nation that God is building. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a type is a figure or a representation or a symbol of something to come.

That's what a type is. And of course we know that oftentimes events in the Old Testament foreshadow other events that will occur in the New Testament. So we saw here that God said, you witnessed with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. You have seen how great I am. You have seen my miracles. He says, you are a special treasure to me. I want to put you above all other people, and I want to make you a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Well, let's see where God emphasizes this again in Deuteronomy 7 and verse 6, if you'll turn there. Deuteronomy 7 and verse 6.

Again, Moses was inspired to write, For you are a holy people to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love on you or choose you because you were more in number than any other people. For you were the least of all peoples. But because the Lord loves you, and because he would keep the oath that he swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of bondage and from the hand of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Therefore, know that the Lord your God, he is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love him and keep his commandments. So here, God desired for them to be a different people, to truly be a special treasure, to be someone of people who would be above the other nations. He wanted them to usher in a new millennial nation in the ancient world. That was his will. The entire world was and still is in slavery to sin. They were given a special opportunity, that generation, in their lifetimes to go to the Promised Land and establish a new physical kingdom based on God's laws and God's commandments. Do you know that this experience is a type of our calling? Your calling? My calling? God called us out of spiritual slavery and brought us into his church. We heard in the sermonette about the power of our loving Father to bring us out of sin, no matter where we are in the world and no matter what our situation, when he calls us, everything changes. For us to reject sin and to receive God's Spirit in us is no less of a miracle than what occurred in ancient Egypt. Miracles still happen each and every day. And a miracle occurred in your life when you were called. Deuteronomy 26, verse 16. Once again, we'll see the kind of people that God wanted ancient Israel to be, particularly that generation. Deuteronomy 26, verse 16.

And that you will obey his voice. Verse 18.

So I want you to notice that God intended for them to be a model people to the nations of this world. He had a special purpose and a destiny for that generation. This generation that we're reading about was directly called by God, was revealed God's presence, and was taught his commandments in God's way of life.

He offered them nationhood. He offered them a very special status. And again, I want to emphasize that these promises were a type of what he offers us spiritually today. Because we haven't been called to be part of the house of Jacob. We've been called to be part of the house of Jesus Christ. And that's a very important family, household relationship that we have. To be a Christian is to be a model or ambassador for Jesus Christ.

So just like God called the ancient Israelites a holy people, his special people, and he gave them a gift. He called us a holy people, a special people.

And he has offered you and I a very precious gift. He's offered our generation an opportunity and a gift. So many of the same positive traits that God desired of the ancient Israelites are proclaimed to be the same traits that we who are believers in the 21st century should also possess. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 10 beginning in verse 1 and see how Paul also used the comparison between ancient Israel and ourselves today. 1 Corinthians chapter 10.

Paul wrote here, Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all of our fathers were under the cloud and passed through the sea. Talking about, of course, the Red Sea. Verse 2, All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. All ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.

But with most of them, God was not well pleased, for their bodies scattered the wilderness. Now, these things became our examples. The fact that their bodies were scattered in the wilderness is an example for you and I. What did they do that we should be concerned with? What was it about them that was a weakness that God offered them a precious gift and they despised that gift?

God offered them a unique opportunity and they didn't take advantage of that opportunity. Well, we'll see, of course, in a minute what it was. Verse 6, Now these things became our examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And again, we'll discuss that in just a moment. The Apostle Paul understood ancient Israel as a type when he wrote that they were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and that like us, their rock was Jesus Christ.

So did this very generation of Israel, did they live up to their potential? Did they fulfill the opportunity that God gave them to be a model nation? To be the generation who would complete their mission and go into the Promised Land? Well, of course, we know the story. They didn't. Let's go to Numbers, beginning in chapter 11 and verse 1, and see how the sin of ingratitude and a lack of appreciation brought these people down.

It made them despise the gift that they had been given. It made them not appreciate the opportunity that God was presenting before the entire nation. Let's go to Numbers, chapter 11 and verse 1. And this is, of course, after the ark was made, they had left Sinai, and they're all eating meals on a regular basis, but they don't have meat. Now, in our society today, to show you how things have changed, most nutritionists in our society today would say, well, good!

They shouldn't be eating meat. They were eating too much meat. That's not good for you. That's unhealthy. But they craved meat. So let's read about what happens here, how they handle it, and what lesson there is for us. Numbers, chapter 11 and verse 1. Now, when the people complained, it displeased the Lord. Now, why does complaining, why does having a critical, cynical attitude, displease the Lord? Because they were not grateful for what God had given them.

No one was hungry.

There was manna every day. Not a single person was going hungry. But that's not good enough.

What about our food choice?

Do I get to choose dessert tonight?

That's an attitude of ingratitude.

It's an attitude that it's never good enough. Whatever God does for us, whatever blessings we have, whatever things he does are just not good enough.

And that's an attitude that God despises. Now, when the people complained, it displeased the Lord, for the Lord heard it, and his anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. I want you to notice that. It didn't affect those who were in the core of the camp. It affected those who were on the fringes, those who were on the outside. Looking in.

Verse 2, Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire was quenched. So he called the name of the place Tibera, because of the fire that the Lord had burned among them. Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving, so the children of Israel also wept again and said, Who will give us meat to eat?

We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But now our whole being is dried up, and there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes.

I hate to say this frankly, but these people were delusional.

They were slaves. They were treated like dogs in Egypt. But the human mind is such that when our thinking becomes distorted, we have delusions. We begin to look at the world in a warped way.

And that's exactly what happened with these people.

They were ingrateful.

They were not appreciative for the things that God had given them. Verse 7, Now the manna was like a coriander seed, and is their color like the color of the delam. The people went about and gathered it, and grounded on millstones, and beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it, and its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil. And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it. Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent, and the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused. Moses also was displeased.

Again, I want you to understand that these people are in a desert.

It is a miracle that every night, manna falls evening after evening, it's there.

And yet, people are crying over the fact that they can't eat meat.

Get a grip!

But that's the way human nature becomes.

The people were inclined to whine continually. It wasn't just about this. Virtually every time they faced a problem, they would complain and whine, and they would upset Moses, and they would upset God. The word wept here is a Hebrew word bakah, and it means to complain or to bemoan something. Numbers 13, beginning in verse 1. It says, And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Send out men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel, from each tribe of their fathers, you shall send a man, every one a leader among them. So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Puran, according to the command of the Lord, all the men who were the heads of the children of Israel. So there are going to be 12 spies, and these spies are leaders. These are the ones that are the recognized leaders from each of the tribes, and they were going to be sent out to spy out the land. And similar to what I stated in a sermon a few weeks ago, it's amazing that they are all going to see the same land, the same people, the same events, the same circumstances, and come to two opposite conclusions.

Everything's the same, but they're going to come to two opposite conclusions. Why? What's the difference?

The difference is attitude, pure and simple.

Chapter 13 and verse 16. These are the names of the men who Moses sent to spy out the land, and Moses called Hosea the son of Nun, Joshua.

Then Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, Get up this way to the south and go to the mountains, and see what the land is like, whether the people who dwell there are strong or weak, few or many, whether the land they dwell in is good or bad, whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds, whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are forests there or not. He said, Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land. Now, the time was the season for the first ripe grapes. So 12 individuals are sent out to spy out the land, a simple mission. Moses says, I want you to observe what you see, and I want you to interpret it, and I want you to report back to me what you see.

Verse 25.

And they returned from spying out the land after 40 days.

40 days, by the way, is the biblical number for trial and testing.

Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the wilderness of Peran, and in condition, they brought back word to them, and lo, all the congregation, and they showed them the fruit of the land. And they told them and said, We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.

Now, if you stop right there, that's pretty good. Everyone, 12 people, 100% in agreement that, man, this is a great land. There's milk, there's honey, there's big fruit. I mean, this is really a rich, productive land.

But then there's verse 28.

Nevertheless, the people who dwell there in the land are strong, the cities are fortified, and very large. Moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there, the Amalekites dwell in the land of the south, the Hittites, the Jebusites and the Amorites dwell in the mountains, and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.

So you can see that this is beginning to just build people.

Negativity is like that. It's like a virus. Oh, that's terrible! Oh, I'm very concerned. I have very, very serious concerns over this decision.

And like a disease, like a virus, it just picks up and it builds and it grows wider and deeper. And that negativity begins to saturate the entire environment. And verse 30 in Caleb quieted the people. Because that's the way gossip and whining and complaining is. It just gets louder and louder and it's a never-ending cycle.

It's a downward spiral.

And Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.

Now, what makes his attitude a little different than some of the other ones?

Well, the other ones, because of their negative perception of life, only saw problems.

Caleb saw the God who took them from the most powerful nation on earth, the nation whose army could wipe out the Jebusites and every other of theites in one battle. If he was great enough to take us out of Egypt, he's great enough to help us to overcome these peoples.

It's a whole different mindset.

A whole different philosophy about life and the purpose of life. Verse 31, But the men who had gone up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.

Critical, negative.

Verse 32, And they gave the children of Israel a bad report. I have very serious problems, very serious concerns about this decision and what's going on.

A bad report of the land of which they had spied out, saying, The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants.

And all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature.

There we saw the giants, the descendants of Anak came from the giants.

And we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.

Again, brethren, that's delusional.

We have never found the fossil of 100-foot men.

If you took the ratio of a grasshopper to a human being, you would have to find 100-foot men, fossils of deceased people, in order to be like grasshoppers. But that's what happens when a negative perception of life takes over in our minds. What's the difference between Joshua and Caleb and the others is attitude, interpreting life through the can-do fruits of the Spirit versus the negative, derogatory works of the flesh.

That's the difference. Numbers 14, beginning in verse 1. So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron. They complained against the leadership that God had established for ancient Israel. And the whole congregation said to them, If only we had died in Egypt, if only we had died in the wilderness, why has God brought us to this land to fall by the sword, so that our wives and children should become victims? It would be better for us to return to Egypt.

So they said to one another, Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.

This is incredible. After they witnessed great recent miracles, they had no faith. They really didn't believe that God is in control. You see, God is weak. God doesn't understand that we have to take matters in our own hands.

God can't handle this situation.

He's not strong enough, or He's not wise enough, or He's not powerful enough. So we're going to have to take things in our own hands and do something that we know is not the right thing to do.

That's the attitude that they had.

And with this attitude, they were unusable to God.

When any of us has that kind of an attitude where we think that God is so weak, or unable, or unwilling to do what He should do, that we have to take matters into our own hands.

I want you to notice they're even imputing evil motives to God. They're saying God brought us out to this land to fall by the sword. They considered that God was too weak to understand or to help them.

Brethren, this isn't simply two perspectives.

I can't whitewash us the way and just say that, well, these are just two different perspectives, and you have your perspective, and you have my perspective. They both can't be right.

One attitude here is right, and the other one literally stinks to the high heavens.

It's the attitude that is reflected through the fruits of the Holy Spirit that is right, and it's the attitude of negativity, whining, complaining, judgmentalism, and accusation that literally stinks to the high heavens.

Numbers 14, verse 11.

Then the Lord said to Moses, How long will these people reject me? God takes it personally. God says, you don't think that I'm strong enough to intervene. You don't think that I understand your problem. You don't think that I love you enough to change things when I think change is necessary. God says, they have rejected me.

And how long will they not believe me with all the signs which I have performed among them? I will strike them with a pestilence and disinherit them. I will make of you a great nation greater than my ear than they. And Moses said to the Lord, Moses obviously wants to talk God out of this, God says, I'll wipe all of them out and start all over again with you, Moses.

And Moses says, Lord, the Egyptians will hear it, for by your might you brought these people up from among them. And they will tell the inhabitants of this land that have heard that you, Lord, are among these people, that you, Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands above them. You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Now, if you kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of your fame will speak, saying because the Lord was not able to bring this people to the land, which he swore to give to them, therefore he killed them in the wilderness. He says, God, they're going to say that you're a weak God, that you didn't fulfill your promise, that you weren't able to complete what you told these people you would do, the promises you made to their ancestors. Verse 17, and now I pray, let the power of my Lord be great, just as you have spoken, saying the Lord is long suffering and abundant in the world.

Forgiving iniquity and transgression. But he by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children of the third and fourth generation. Verse 19, pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of your mercy, just as you have forgiven this people from Egypt even unto now, then the Lord said in an instant, He said, I have pardoned according to your word. But truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, because all these men who have seen my glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put me to test now these ten times, and have not heeded my voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor any of those who rejected me see it.

Verse 24, but my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit.

What different spirit did Caleb have?

He had a spirit that was filled with the positive, can-do fruits of the Holy Spirit.

We are well able to overcome them, he said. Let us go at once and take this land. He said, he has a different spirit in him and has followed me. I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it. Now let's go to verse 36. It says, now the men who Moses sent to spy out the land who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land, those very men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the Lord. But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb, the son of Jephthah, remained alive. All the men who went to spy out the land. It's only those two of all the men who went to spy out the land.

As I mentioned in a sermon that I gave last June, the name of the sermon, because I could see particular events that were going to occur, gave a sermon entitled, The Awesome Incredible Power of a Negative Attitude. Do any of you remember that sermon?

That was given last June, and it was in that facility actually over there. And I gave that sermon because I could see the handwriting on the wall.

I could see that the direction that segments of our own beloved particular congregation were heading in at that time.

And here's what I said were the lessons from this biblical episode that I just read.

God gave an opportunity to Israel to enter the Promised Land. It was a gift for them to either accept or a gift to refuse.

Moses chose 12 recognized leaders to spy out the land. He didn't choose mere scouts, but heads of each tribe. And they were in the land 40 days, it says, which is the biblical number for trial and testing.

All 12 spies, brethren, saw the same things, the same events. Ten chose to have a negative attitude regarding the land, and only two chose to have positive attitudes. And that was Joshua and Caleb.

Even the ten who are negative about the land admitted that it was bountiful with fruits and milk and honey. The difference is that they quickly disregarded the positive, and they chose to wallow in the negative.

And sadly, like a virus, the negative attitude of the ten influenced so many more, influenced millions of people.

Brethren, God equates whining and complaining as a lack of faith. He equates whining and complaining and negativity as a rejection of Him.

What's the root cause or core of a complaining attitude? It's in gratitude and a lack of appreciation for what God has given us and done for us.

Because of that, His decision was to allow this generation not to complete their mission.

His decision was to allow this generation to push aside the gift that was offered to them, and He allowed them to die in the wilderness. And for the next generation, it was intended for them to inherit a new world that was awaiting them.

God despises an attitude that reflects a lack of faith. That is an attitude that says, God, you're too weak. You don't understand.

You're not intervening quick enough for me. You're not changing things fast enough for me. So therefore, I have to take matters in my own hands. God says, that is a rejection of me. As He said in Numbers 14, 11, how long will these people reject me? And that, brethren, can be a very serious problem.

So this very first generation that had left Egypt failed to live up to their calling and their potential. They had personally witnessed God intervene dozens of times on their behalf. The miracle of mano occurred every day for their benefit and their behalf. Yet they seemed to despise it.

The fact that they were out of Egyptian slavery itself was an undisputed miracle.

But their attitudes degenerated to the point of being vile and disgusting in God's sight. They were questioning the leadership that God had given them. They were questioning decisions that were made. Their spirit was one of accusing all the time.

Their spirit was one of a lack of appreciation. And God cannot work with that kind of an attitude. He cannot and will not work with that kind of a spirit.

God decided not to work with that generation, but with their children instead. He decided to do what He intended to do through another generation.

Now the offhand remark that a minister made to me 30 years ago. His remark was this.

Because of our generation's negative and critical attitude, perhaps God will not finish the work in our generation, but will finish it through our children.

End of quote.

I think that's a statement worth pondering and meditating. You know, at the time he told me that I was a mere 27 years old. And I had my whole lifetime ahead of me. I thought, you don't know what you're talking about. Why, I might hang around here another 50 years in this lifetime. Surely everything's going to come to pass. We're going to finish preaching the gospel to all the nations in the world. And before I have to die, Jesus Christ will return. And my feet will be lifted from this earth. After those who have died in Christ first, I believe that Jesus will proceed me and that I will meet Jesus Christ as he comes back to this earth.

I thought at that time that that statement was absolutely ridiculous.

I'm not so sure I was so smart back then.

So I think it's something worth pondering. I think it is a fair question.

I believe it's an interesting statement for us to think about. Let's go to the book of Hebrews because Paul wrote in the book of Hebrews, he also discussed the generation of ancient Israel and drew some parallels to us today, to the early New Testament church and certainly to ourselves. Let's go to Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 1.

Paul wrote, therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Jesus Christ, who was faithful to him, who appointed him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house. Verse 3.

For this one has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses inasmuch as he who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but he who built all things is God.

Verse 5. And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which should be spoken thereafter. But Christ as a son over his own house.

And as I mentioned earlier, we're not members of the house of Jacob. We're not members of the house of Israel. We are members of the house, the family, the brotherhood of Jesus Christ. So it says, but Christ as the son over his own house, whose house we are if we hold fast to the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, today if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.

In the day of trial in the wilderness, he's talking about, obviously, ancient Israel, the events that we just read. Verse 9, where your fathers tested me, tried me, and saw my works forty years. Therefore, I was angry with that generation, and said they always go astray in their heart.

Brethren, heart disease, spiritual heart disease, is an attitude of negativity. Spiritual heart disease poisons the people around it because of sarcasm, because of accusatory thoughts, because of a desire to make people question their faith.

So spiritual heart disease is a negative spirit.

He says they go astray in their heart, and they have not known my way, so I swore in my wrath that they should not enter my rest.

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. What is unbelief? Unbelief is when we come to Sabbath services every week, and we do the things that we should do, but we say in our hearts that God is weak. God just doesn't really understand. God doesn't change things fast enough, so therefore I must intervene and do something. That's what unbelief is. Verse 13, but exhort one another daily, while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. How has your confidence been lately? Some people have lost their confidence. They no longer have the confidence they had in the beginning. They have not been steadfast to hold it to the end. Verse 15, while it is said today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt led by Moses? Now with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness, to whom he did swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who did not obey?

For we see that they could not enter because of unbelief. So Paul is saying here that it was a lack of faith that God was in control and that God could do the things He needs to do that caused this generation of Israel to lose their opportunity. It was a lack of trusting God, rooted in a spirit of ingratitude and little appreciation for what God had done for them.

How about us, brethren? God performed a miracle when He called us out of sin.

He called us out of spiritual Egypt. Is our confidence in God, in His Church, in the work that He is doing, the preaching of the Gospel, calling of more disciples? Is our confidence, our enthusiasm in God and in His might, as strong today as it was in the early days of our conversion? Is it steadfast? Or have we allowed the poison, the negativity of others, to erode our confidence? You see, that's a choice. You can either allow that to happen or you can say, Balderdash, I will not allow the poison to affect my mind. That is a conscious choice that you and I get to make. Is our confidence and our enthusiasm in God and in His might steadfast?

As steadfast as it was earlier on in our calling? Hebrews 4, beginning in verse 1. Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it, verse 2, for indeed the Gospel was preached to us as well as to them, but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

And again, I know that this is repetitive, but why did they lack faith? Because they didn't believe that God understood or was strong enough or cared enough to intervene in their problems and that they had to take things into their own hands. Verse 3, for we who have believed do enter that rest, as He said, so I swore in my wrath they shall not enter my rest. Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world, for He has spoken in a certain place on the seventh day in this way, and God rested on the seventh day from all His works, and again in this place, they shall not enter my rest, since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter it because of disobedience. Paul is saying God has a plan, and His plan is to bring people into His kingdom. That generation of ancient Israelites, they didn't have the faith. They didn't have the obedience. They never entered that rest because of their disobedience. They had that gift in their hands, and they threw it on the ground. They had that opportunity presented before them, and they said, no thank you. I'd rather wallow in misery. I'd rather complain and accentuate the negative, so they didn't take advantage of that opportunity.

Again, verse 6, since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter it because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, today, after such a long time, as has been said, today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. Don't let anyone poison your thinking about God, or about His people, or about His church. Don't allow your heart to become hardened by the negativity of others. Verse 8, for if Joshua had given them rest, then they would not afterward have spoken of another day. They never entered the promised land that generation. They died out in the wilderness. Their corpses rotted. Paul is saying that ancient Israel did not fulfill their calling. They never entered the millennial rest as a model nation and as a special people to the world. You know what? We, you and I, this special generation, have been given the same gift. What are we going to do with it? We've been given the opportunity that they denied.

What are we going to do with that opportunity? What are we going to do with that gift that God holds out for us and says, here, take it. It's yours. Here. And verse 9, there remains therefore a rest for the people of God. That's obviously a very bad translation. The New American Standard Bible says there remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. That word rest is a unique word called sabbatismos, which means a physical observance of the seventh day of keeping the seventh day Sabbath. And why do we do that? It's because it represents that gift and opportunity that we have. And that is to complete this work and usher in the kingdom of God. To be that final generation that does the will of God, that preaches the gospel and prepares the people.

That's the opportunity that you and I have. And we're reminded of that each Sabbath.

You know, some people say that we believe in salvation by works. And my response to them is, oh, contrary. We rest on the seventh day because resting shows that we believe in salvation by grace. You see, the seventh day Sabbath is a rest day. And that reminds us the resting on the Sabbath day is that works don't save us. Only the grace of Jesus Christ saves us.

Let's go to verse 10. For he who has entered his rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. We can pretend to be good people, but if we're negative, eventually it's going to bring us down.

Negativity is a spiritual cancer, and we may cling to it for 10, 20, 30 years. But, brethren, I have seen by life examples that if we allow that root of negativity into our hearts and minds, eventually it will destroy us. Verse 13, and there is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. We can't fool God. He knows the heart. He knows what goes on inside of our heads, and when we lack appreciation for him, or we lack gratitude for all that he's done for us, he sees it. We may be able to fool other people into thinking that we're righteous or that we're full of faith, but we can never fool God.

There will be a day of accounting. It is absolutely going to come, and every thought and every action will be disposed like it's naked, and it will not be hidden any longer. The Israelites became hard and judgmental because of the experiences they suffered, because of their years of slavery in Egypt, and because they never understood that a cynical and sarcastic and unbelieving mind would pull them down and destroy them as a people, and it did. They provoked God, and he allowed that entire generation to die out except for a few people. They missed fulfilling their potential.

They had a gift. They had an opportunity. Does this mean that the same thing is going to happen to us today? Before I answer that question, I would like to conclude the sermon with a couple of spiritual examples, lessons from the book of Samuel that I think tie in with this message today. They are examples that I've studied for years and principles that I've known for a long time and have personally tried to live by. Let's go to 1 Samuel chapter 15 and verse 22.

1 Samuel chapter 15 and verse 22. We're familiar with this story. Saul was given a very simple task, go into a particular city and destroy everything. These people, their culture, everything about them is ungodly, and I want it all wiped out. God knew that he could resurrect those people at another age when they would have a chance to live fulfilling and wonderful lives, but it certainly wasn't going to happen in this environment. He told Saul to wipe out those peoples. Saul didn't. 1 Samuel chapter 15 and verse 22. Then Samuel said, Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

Samuel says to Saul that obedience is more important than a silly ritual, Saul.

God isn't impressed with your rituals with offering a sacrifice. God is interested in what's in your chest, beating your heart, your attitude, your thoughts, your deeds. He's not interested in rituals. Continuing, Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, because you decided to do things your way, he has also rejected you from being king. The New International Version translates verse 23 this way, For rebellion is as the sin of divination and arrogance, like the evil of adultery, because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.

Brethren, the reason rebellion is that the sin of witchcraft is because it gets back to demonstrating a lack of faith. It's an action. Rebellion is an action in which we state, God is not strong enough to intervene, therefore I have to do it myself. God is either weak or he doesn't understand, or he's getting old and he's a little too slow, and therefore I have to do something, and I have to do it now. That is why rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, because it is a lack of faith.

That's the first lesson from the book of Samuel that I think is very applicable to the sermon today.

The second in the book of 2 Samuel chapter 12 is a principle that I was taught at Ambassador College many, many years ago. This is a scripture that is seldom read and one that always terrifies me and humbles me whenever I read it. And it has helped me in many situations when I said to myself, should I write something? Should I post something? Should I make a comment? Should I do this or do that?

And this scripture has always come to my mind and given me wisdom. 2 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 13. You'll remember the story, of course. David sinned, committed adultery with Bathsheba. Then he tried to hide it. He had her husband killed. So within that was lying and deceiving and adultery and murder. And he just broke commandment after commandment. And for almost a year, David was living in denial. He thought he got away with it. He wasn't confronting the way he really was. And that is until Nathan the prophet came in. And Nathan had a little talk with him and had a little reality check with David and helped him to come and see the way that David really was. And David asked for forgiveness. And when we get to 2 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 13, it says, So David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, the Lord has also put away your sin. You shall not die. The adultery? Forgiven. Murder? Forgiven.

Deceit? Forgiven. But Nathan says, However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord the blaspheme. You, David, your conduct, gave the enemies of the Lord the right, the ability to mock God. He says, Because of that, that child will die. You will not be forgiven that. There is no excuse. There is not forgiveness. The New Century version translates verse 14, What you did caused the Lord's enemies to lose all respect for Him. For this reason, the Son who was born to you will die. We need to be very careful in our personal lifestyle and example because others are watching us now and in the future. And I'm only going to speak for Greg Thomas because, as I said three sermons ago, I'm not judging anyone else, but I do know that there is coming a time when I have to face the throne of God, the judgment seat of Jesus Christ, and I have to answer for what I think and what I do. And here's what I believe. I believe that 30 to 40 years from now, if the world goes on, that there will be people, there will be people who are drawn to God's way of life in the Sabbath. And they're going to go on the Internet, whatever replaces Google. And you know what they're going to see 40 or 50 years from now when they type in Sabbath, Church of God. It's not going to be very positive, but they're not going to see Greg Thomas' name out there because I live by the belief, by the fear, that I have no right to give the enemies of the Lord a reason to blaspheme God's name. And sadly, brethren, in the past few months, I have witnessed attitudes and deeds that have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme God's name. And I can only tell you, may God have mercy on his people because it's that serious. It really is. Everything David had was a result of God's blessings from a nobody shepherd boy to a king, and all the wealth and the glory that went with that title.

But David showed the dark side of human nature. He took for granted all that God had given him. Everything that God had given him was a gift, and he lacked appreciation and a deep sense of gratitude, and it caused him to sin greatly. He thought he was entitled instead of thankful for the things that he had been given. His example gave people the ability to mock God and the people that God had chosen. And God says, I will not endure that. Brethren, we must be careful because we're capable of doing the same thing. David, if you look at his life, was not forgiven of this sin, and physically his life began to unravel from this point on. He lost family. He had one time there was a coup. He literally had to leave the palace. His wives were raped. Everything that he had worked for his whole life began to unravel from this point on, because by his deeds, his actions, he gave people the ability, the right, to be able to blaspheme God's name. He was a leader. He knew better. There was no excuse. That's how God looks at it. Let's take a look at a final scripture, 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 1. 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 1. So, brethren, our generation is given an opportunity. You and I, we're part of a generation. We're alive today. We're breathing. We're given an opportunity to be the generation that preaches the gospel to the nations of this world, and then the end will come. That's a gift. Only one generation will ever have that gift, and it's offered to us.

Do you believe that we can do it in your heart of hearts? Do you believe that God has called us this generation to help change the world? Don't ever think that a small handful of people can't change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. Throughout all of human history, it's always been just a handful of people who changed the world forever. 1 Peter chapter 2 beginning in verse 1. Peter wrote, therefore, laying aside all malice and deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to him as a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, is precious. You also as living stones are being built up into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is also contained in the Scripture, Behold, in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on him will by no means be put to shame. He who believes on him believes that God is in control, that God is in charge, that God can change anything at any time when it's needed. He who believes on him will no means be put to shame. Therefore, to you who believe he is precious, but to those who are disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble being disobedient to the word to which they also were appointed, just like us, offered the same gift, offered the same opportunity in our generation. They were also appointed. Verse 9, but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. So is our generation like that of those who came out of Egypt? Will our generation fulfill our opportunity and godly mission, or will it be to our children or grandchildren to do that? The answer is yes or no. You see, it's all up to us. God gives us the ability to make that choice. And even if our generation isn't the one that God uses to finish the work, maybe we've seen too much. Maybe we've experienced too much in our lifetimes. Maybe we struggle to get that confidence back that was spoken of in Hebrews to hold steadfast to that enthusiasm and confidence that we once had. Even if our generation is not the one to finish the work, is not the one to take that opportunity, to take that precious gift and literally do it ourselves, we can still be a Joshua or a Caleb in our own generation. We can be the kind of person that God spoke about regarding Caleb in Numbers 14 when he said, what I like about Caleb is he has a different spirit. He has an attitude that says, we can do this thing. We are well able to complete the mission that God has given us. Brethren, you and I can have that same kind of spirit.

No matter what happens, we can be the Joshuas and the Caliphs of our own generation.

But I pray and hope that God will be able to use us that we will make the choice to allow God to use us to be the one generation with that precious gift to finish his work on earth.

I encourage you with all your being, with every fiber of your soul, to be determined to be part of that generation. Have a wonderful Sabbath and always remember to be good and faithful servants.