 Our January series is titled “Coming of Age” because it’s 2018 and 18 is all about “Coming of Age”…
What does “18” symbolize?… Maturity, and adulthood, and graduation, and in America 18 is ultimately about “the age of accountability”… Ephesians 4:14-15 we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ-- My hearts desire is for us all to develop a grown up faith… On Wednesday night as we started our Hebrews bible study we looked at this scripture… 1 Corinthians 15:44-49 There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. Is 18 the year that we make a conscious decision to live as “heavenly” men and women… We must put off the old body of death and we must put on the life of Christ empowered by and filled with the Holy Spirit… Week #1 - “The Blessing of Reflecting “ 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. So growing up and reflecting… Putting away childish things and looking in the mirror… Maturity in the kingdom is something that takes time but it is not determined by our physical age… There are people who were saved in 2017 and made a focused effort to mature… There are people who have been saved for a long time and made a focused effort to mature and they grew more last year than they had in a long time… There are also people who survived the last year but did it without a lot of focus or being intentional… The good news is that God was focused and He was intentional and He will allow each of us to “look back” and reflect on what He was doing… John 14:26 the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Part of growing up into the head that is Christ is looking backwards and remembering all that God has done and said… So how do you become a person in 2018 that understands “The Blessing of Reflecting”???… Exodus 16:1-31 1 And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt. 2 Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 And the children of Israel said to them, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. 5 And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily." 6 Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, "At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. 7 And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord; for He hears your complaints against the Lord. But what are we, that you complain against us?" 8 Also Moses said, "This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord." 9 Then Moses spoke to Aaron, "Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, 'Come near before the Lord, for He has heard your complaints.' " 10 Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 "I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.' " 13 So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. 14 And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: 'Let every man gather it according to each one's need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.' " 17 Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. 18 So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one's need. 19 And Moses said, "Let no one leave any of it till morning." 20 Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted. 22 And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 23Then he said to them, "This is what the Lord has said: 'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.' " 24 So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. 25 Then Moses said, "Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, there will be none." 27 Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. 28 And the Lord said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? 29See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day."30 So the people rested on the seventh day. 31 And the house of Israel called its name Manna. 1. Don’t look back with hopes of going back 2 Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 And the children of Israel said to them, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” I’m speaking this morning to Christians who aren’t second guessing their decision to follow Christ and considering going back to Egypt… But just because we aren’t considering going back to the world and to sin doesn’t mean we aren’t living a Christian life characterized by regret and remorse… None of us can go back to last year or further and fix anything or claim anything we left behind so as we look back it should only be to help us as we move forward… I want to speak practically throughout this message so a “practical tool” you can use in this area is to understand that some people and things in this church and in your life aren’t coming back… Don’t lose hope or joy or focus… Let your reflection mature you and cause you to value the people and things you have today and let it fuel a fire within you to protect what you have and what God will bring you in the future… 1. Don’t look back with hopes of going back 2. Think about how the Lord has provided for you 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. The test of contentment… 1 Timothy 6:7-8 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. Matthew 6:9-11 9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.11 Give us this day our daily bread. As we mature and “Come of Age” we have to look back and see what it is God is actually offering us and providing for us according to His word and promises… The practical tool for this one is to “Pray about what you heard”… God gave the manna and they ate the manna but they didn’t consider the manna… It might not seem like much but what if you were to take a few minutes after a Sunday service to pray about what you heard?… What if Monday became a day of reflection and your devotional time was to pray about what you heard that Wednesday and Sunday and what “specifically” God may being trying to rain down from heaven just for you… 1. Don’t look back with hopes of going back 2. Think about how the Lord has provided for you 3. Reading, Writing, & Arithmetic At 18 the school system should have taught you a general level of Reading, Writing, & Arithmetic… Reading is about comprehension, writing is about expression, and arithmetic is literally about things adding up… I can literally see a difference often times in the growth of those who are still reflecting on the messages they hear throughout the week and those who aren’t... They post about what God is doing, they text others from their church, they ask questions for clarification and better understanding... This is a text that me and one of the instructors received yesterday from someone going through our “The Way Development Courses”… Good mooorning, gentlemen! So I'm only on page 22 in "Of Water and the Spirit", and am njoyin it SO much. I'd been dreading 2 read it cuz 1) the writing of John Piper was kinda loopy 4 me, n I presumed this book would b the same, 2) being of a Catholic upbringing, I thought I'd not b able discern what was what. Not so! This book is such a betta read 4 me...I don't find it loopy, aaand, having taken advice 2 pray 1st 4 what is of God 4 me 2 stay, the Lord has totally given me the discernment n I've been able 2 recognize what is what. Thank U, Papa! Hope that all made sense. Bottom line is that I'm glad I finally started this book, n look 4ward 2 receiving what Lord wants 2 give me. Happy Saturday! This person is reading and gaining comprehension as time goes on since they didn’t give up… They are writing to me and expressing what is going on spiritually which is a key to what Jesus does… I remember sharing this in 2017 but the statement was something along the lines of “love is not complete until it is expressed”… That goes for love and worship and friendship and learning… Things will change when you read and listen to messages looking to understand AND with hopes of expressing it to others… and things are obviously adding up for this person who texted us because when it was all said and done the statement they made was “I look 4ward 2 receiving what Lord wants 2 give me”… The end of this whole thing is that God is alive… God is good… and God has something for you… When you were a child you wanted toys and when you were an adolescent you wanted games but when you become an adult you want things that help to equip you for life… 2 Peter 1:2-4 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature So I want to close with what I think the key in our text this morning that we must comprehend, express in our words and actions, and evaluate to see if it adds up… 4-8 & 16-20 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. 5 And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily." 6 Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, "At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. 7 And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord; for He hears your complaints against the Lord. But what are we, that you complain against us?" 8 Also Moses said, "This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. 16 This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: 'Let every man gather it according to each one's need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.' " 17 Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. 18 So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one's need. 19 And Moses said, "Let no one leave any of it till morning." 20 Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. So Comprehension… God is teaching His people about need and provision… They complained about bread and meat they left behind and God gave them a new bread and meat and they did not have to labor for it… God is still today offering each of us bread and meat and drink that we do not have to labor for… John 6:53-58 53 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven--not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.” We have a need and God has made a provision… We need help and forgiveness and transformation and health and Jesus is the ‘bread from heaven” that fully satisfies all of our needs… Remember Matthew 6:9-11 9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.11 Give us this day our daily bread. The provision is a daily provision though… You cannot expect to eat the bread of Sunday all week… and when they tried to save extra manna for the upcoming days it bread worms and stank… They didn’t want to do the daily work of gathering so they thought they could gather extra but it doesn’t work that way… I believe that this year you all need a daily devotional or time of daily reading and praying or a course that you are always going through… Jesus said go make disciples who are being taught not groups of people who gather consistently… Joshua 1:8 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Finally the “Blessing of Reflecting”… 22-30 22 And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 23Then he said to them, "This is what the Lord has said: 'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.' " 24 So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. 25 Then Moses said, "Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, there will be none." 27 Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. 28 And the Lord said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? 29 See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day."30 So the people rested on the seventh day. There is a “Blessing of Reflecting” when God makes a special provision to give us a time to think about all that He has done and provided… The key to the Sabbath is not resting it’s reflecting… God was not tired when He finished creation in 6 days… He was finished!… and He reflected on all that He had done… Genesis 1:31 and 2:1-3 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. 1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. While there is a daily bread we must gather from the Lord there must also be an understanding that the work of “Creating” in us a new life is finished!… When Jesus was on the cross in John 19:30 He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. Those who have “Come of Age” in the faith have to stop consistently and remember that while there is so much we still desire to see, if we have received salvation through the finished work of Christ on the cross we have that which matters most… We all want to see God do so much more and we must labor daily to gather all that Jesus has provided but we must also have communion to enjoy the Sabbath REFLECTION and say “Jesus, You are the God who saves!”… Communion… John 6:53-58 53 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven--not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
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