IS THE LORD AMONG US, OR NOT?
February 3, 2002 AM
Sermon Outline
Ex 17:1-7
INTRO: We often comment that the children of Israel were a murmuring, complaining, forgetful lot! It seems that no matter how much God did for them, it was never enough. When a problem or obstacle arose, they forgot all God had done for them and complained. In the text I have read is one of those occasions. Moses noted that the people were ready to stone him! But there is a question they asked which may put into words how folks really feel when things are going badly. Is the Lord among us, or not? Astounding.
I. HOW DO PEOPLE GET TO SUCH A CYNICAL, SKEPTICAL PLACE?
A. By thinking only of their stomachs
1. this world is the limit of their horizons
2. Phil 3:19 ... who mind earthly things
3. so, when things are in danger, Where is God when I need Him?
B. By limiting Gods power because of their sin
1. its true ... God is not hearing their prayers, pleas!
2. Isa 59:1,2 people living in sin, impenitent, have no reason to expect God to come running when theyre in trouble!
3. so, they have no sense of Gods presence
C. By having used God as their emergency exit
1. the only time they think to pray is when trouble comes
2. would they recognize the presence of God then?
3. recall Nahum 1:7 - what is the secret here? they have trusted Him; when trouble comes, no wondering if God is present
(Ps 112:6-8)
II. FACT: GODS EYES ARE OVER THE RIGHTEOUS
A. Ps 34:15-19 with 1 Pet 3:12 The eyes of the Lord ...
1. notice v.11 - I will teach you the fear of the Lord ...
2. rest assured that righteous living does have rewards!
3. but we cannot avoid v.16 ... our question this morning may well come back to this very problem
4. this is not, then, a God problem .. it is a man problem
B. Prov 15:3 The eyes of the Lord ..
1. the assurance that Gods eyes are seeing
2. note Ps 134:7,8 Thou at there
3. if I find myself asking if the Lord is among us, or not, there is little doubt that my faith is weak - because the eyes of the Lord are in every place
C. 2 Chron 16:9a ... eyes of the Lord run to and fro ...
1. what a wonderful picture this presents to us
2. but it comes in the midst of a prophets message of condemnation of Asas behavior
3. note v.7 and v.12 ... Asa began trusting alliances and science to the exclusion of the Lord!
4. note v.8,9b faithfulness, forgetting what the Lord had done ... thou hast done foolishly!
5. still, for all of us there is the great assurance that the Lord is among us
CLOSE: Next Lords day I want to talk a bit more about the people who do not wonder if the Lord is among us ... people in daily relationship with God. But today I want to ask this: do you find yourself wondering if the Lord is with you, or not? if so, could that very question be your wake up call to faith maintenance?
Cecil A. Hutson
03 February 2002