Oakbrook Evangelical Free Church

Introduction:

I.          Thinking about risk for a number of reasons…

a.  People playing at life – reality series

This raw material, ordinary people who want to be on TV, is needed for a genre exploding in size. Survivor, TheReal World, Fear Factor and The Bachelor head a list of more than a dozen prime-time reality shows, not to mention syndicated “date-coms” such as Blind Date. Survivor series – up to Survivor 6

American Idol 2

The Amazing Race up to 3     Fear Factor

Extreme Fear Factor   Frontier House

America’s Most Wanted

Real World

Road Rules

The Bachelor

The Dating Game

 

b.         The Columbia space crew

c.         The war on terrorism…Afganistan / Iraq

d.         Missions: taking the message of Christ to the world

e.         Reading Piper’s Book, Don’t Waste Your Life

 

2.         Last Week

We are wired for risk

            By God…rule and subdue

            By our sin natures…you surely will not die

 

But this God-given motivation can because a lust for adventure

And a lifestyle of self-reliance without God.

Steve Fosset – set the world record balloon trip

Now he is working on taking a glider to 60,000 feet.

Our default setting that moves to us takes risks for the wrong reasons.

Why are we drawn to the a life of risk

Fixation with false heroism

Focused on self-exaltation
“Interview with

“I have no sympathy for career girls like you and I who

are in it for our egos.  The real heroes of the world are the

mothers who stay home and raise their children.”

To stroke our egos.

To gain someone’s approval or to save face?

 

The myth of safety

– risk is part of life

- risk is part of the Calvary Road  Matthew 16:22-27

Today we continue examining what God has to say about taking risk.

“The cost of playing it safe”

 

Numbers 13

I.          Review Their Recent History

Escaped from bondage

            They’ve seen God go ahead of them day and night

They’ve witnessed many miracles:

            Opening of the Red Sea

            Water from the rock

            Awesome experience of God’s presence at Mt. Sinai

 

Exodus 14:10-12, 31  When they saw the great power of God…the people feared the Lord and put their trust in Him and in Moses His servant.

Ex 15:22-26  Turned bitter water, sweet.  “I am your healer”

Ex 16:1f  “If only we’d died in Egypt.  At least we had meat there”

Numbers 11:1-3  The people complained about their hardships

Nu 11:4-34  We remember the fish we had in Egypt at no cost

 

We might think of their journey as an adventure

Many of them thought of it as a difficulty.

            And their present difficulties blurred their vision of the past.

            All they can think of is the food they had.

            Long forgotten is the 400 years of slavery!

            All they can do is complain

            They are moving forward with their heads and hearts turned back

 

Now they are poised on the threshold of going into the Land God Promised!

Their spies have been in the Promised Land 40 days.

Now they’ve returned with a report.

 

II.        The Story of The Principles It Teaches

A. FEARing THE ENEMY - Numbers 13:26-33

There are ___________ in the Land!

 

The 10 spies all saw the same things but their attention was focused on two different realities!

            1.         The reality of their circumstances

                        There are giants in the land

                        Their enemy is numerous and strong

           

            2.         The reality of the majesty and greatness and faithfulness of

God

 

The choice they face is:

Will they focus on God and His promises and  step forward by faith  trusting God  or

 

Will they focus on the largeness of their challenges and cling to the

 myth of security

Will they attempt to live their lives in the mirage of safety?

 

Their circumstances are not ours.

But the choice they faced, is.

 

Isaiah 45:21  “Declare what is to be, present it— let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.”

Isaiah 44:6-8  ““This is what the Lord says— Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come— yes, let him foretell what will come. Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”

Matthew 19:26  “with God all things are possible.”

Jeremiah 32:27  “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”  Je 32:27

Deut 31:8 “The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

 

B. FEARing THE RESULT - Numbers 14:1-11

If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us in that land flowing with milk and honey, and will give  it to us.

 

“If only we had died in Egypt or in this dessert!… Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt.”

 

Caleb: His challenge was to do what was best for the whole even when it was unpopular!

            Leadership for Caleb was not something in

addition to his relationship with God.  In reality it

was part of it.

 

Faith in God is the core issue.

God takes this personally.

What do you have faith in?

            Whatever you have faith in is what is big in your

eys.

Lack of faith in God is in reality lack of respect.

 

 

 

C. FEARing GOD’S ANGER - Numbers 14:12-25

“How long will these people treat me with ______________?”

The Role of Spiritual Leadership

1.         Intercessor, 14:13-16

2.         Focused on God’s Character, 14:17-19

 

 

3.         God’s Expectation of leaders, 14:20-25

 

Ron Martoia – Morph

“Leak Laws”

All of us leak: we model, we cast a vision, we get people on board.  If we walk in faith people charge the hill and accomplish the mission.  If we walk by sight people become discouraged and turn away from the mission.

 

Leaking has pervasive effects.

            Negative leaks seem to permeate quicker.

            Gossip spreads like fire.

            Cantankerous comments grow like cancer

 

Leaking is usually unconscious and unintentional

 

Leaking can’t be faked for long!  Leaking starts on the inside and flows out.

 

What is your core value?

What do you treasure above all else?

Attitudes leak

Giving a bad report is a slam on God.

Give a blessing instead.

 

In God’s plan the role of leaders is for them to run the ragged edge of risk taking and do whatever is necessary to see God be magnified and for the world to see His glory!

 

D. FEARing THE CONSEQUENCE - Numbers 14:26-38

I will do to you the very ______ I heard you say.

 

Faith always involves risk.

Abraham

Moses

Joshua

David

Esther

Ruth

But playing it safe and  living by fear is even more risky!  Cost them 40 years and thousands of lives.