Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Exodus

Exodus 17:1-7 03/07/04

Message Title: ‘I Believe…help me in my unbelief’                                                                                                       Message Text: Ex. 17:1-7

Introduction: Bob Vernon, formerly with the Los Angeles Police Department, tells how the Department would test bullet-proof vests—and demonstrate to rookie officers their value—by placing them on mannequins and then shooting round after round at them. They’d then check to see if any of the rounds penetrated the vests. Invariably the vests would pass the test with flying colors. Vernon would then turn to the rookie officers and ask, “So who wants to wear it now instead of the mannequin?”
 
10,000 Sermon Illustrations. electronic ed. Dallas: Biblical Studies Press, 2000.
 

Here the rookie police officers are thinking ‘I believe…you don’t need to help me with my unbelief.’

Explanation: When we think of the ancient Israelites in the OT, we usually think that they were constantly vacillating between belief and unbelief, between obedience and disobedience. And there is good reason to think this…it’s true. The book of Judges, as well as the prophets, show Israel’s struggle with belief in God.

I want to say this morning that while it seems the struggle between belief and unbelief was a national problem for Israel, it was primarily a personal problem with the Israelites. For Israel as a nation to struggle with belief and unbelief, the individual Israelites had to struggle with belief and unbelief. And the same is true today.
I believe…help me in my unbelief is not primarily a corporate issue, it is not an issue with the church, it’s an issue with the person. And, it is not someone else’s issue, it’s mine and yours.

Transition: Well, let’s return to those ancient Israelites and see what crises of belief they encounter as they follow God in the wilderness.

Ex. 17:1    ‘As the Lord commanded them’

One of the most important things to notice here is that the Israelites followed God where he led them. Do you get what that means? They walked in the exact path God directed them. Being where God wants you to be, doing what God wants you to do, is called being in and obeying God’s will.

A few months had passed from our last visit with the Israelites. Since then they have been obedient, faithful, they believed in and trusted God as they walked faithfully in the path he led. They did as the Lord commanded them.

Ex. 17:2-3    ‘No water…again!’

Question: If it is true that they were being obedient to God, if it’s true that they were walking faithfully in the will of God, and Scripture says it is, then why would God lead them, all 2 million plus animals, to a place where there was no water…again?

You see, although they believed, they needed help with their unbelief. God is faithful. The Israelites should have learned that by now.
•    God had promised to deliver them from Egyptian slavery and he did.
•    God had promised to protect them and he did when the Egyptian army was defeated at the Red Sea.
•    God had promised to provide for them and he did when he changed the bitter water at Marah to fresh, when he sent them to Elim where there was plenty of
      water, when he provided quail and manna every day.

God demonstrated his faithfulness, that he can be believed in, and they believed… until the next difficulty came along. I believe, help me in my unbelief.

There is another reason why God led them to a place where there was no water: he was testing them. God uses tests to educate his people. What did this particularly difficult reveal about God’s people?

1.    It revealed God’s peoples response to challenges, to difficulties, to hardships. Will they turn to God or to some other god in their lives?
2.    It revealed the sinful condition of their hearts when they respond in ungodly ways to life’s circumstances.
3.    It revealed God’s constant blessing on the basis of his grace, not their works. God’s blessing come because they are his, not because of what they do
       or don’t do.

By the way…we are they, we are God’s people, just like the Israelites were…their lessons, are our lessons.

God led his people, intentionally, to a place where they had to trust him. They believed God, as was demonstrated by their willingness to faithfully follow his leading in the dessert, but God knew they needed help with their unbelief.

Transition: We believe, but in difficult real life situations, especially when they just don’t let up. it is not unusual to ask what the Israelites asked…Is the Lord among us or not?

Ex. 17:4-7    ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’

What appears to be an indication of God’s absence actually turns out to be a remarkable demonstration of his enduring presence to those who are his by faith, no matter how weak that faith may be. This text, and one in 1 Cor. which gives us insight that we don’t have here, offers great encouragement to every child of God who has ever questioned God’s presence in times of personal crisis.

God’s response to the accusation of the absence of his presence?

First, he once again met their need for water.

Second, he gave them another sign of his presence, as if the pillar of smoke and fire was not enough. The rock and accompanying water followed them through the dessert.

From this point on the rock became a symbol to the Israelites of God’s faithful presence to his people.How do I know that? In 1 Cor. 10:3-4 we see Ex.17 explained.

Read: 1 Cor. 10:3-4

Jesus is the rock, our rock. Let me piece together God’s grace demonstrated through the symbols of Ex. 16-17

In Ex. 16 we read about God sending manna, bread from heaven. This symbolized Christ coming to earth. Remember, Jesus said in Jn 6, I am the bread of heaven.
Here, in Ex. 17, God told Moses to strike the rock. When he did, water came forth. It flowed with life sustaining water for all of God’s people to enjoy. Certainly an act of grace on God’s part, as his people were sinful and deserved punishment, not love. But God showered them with love and grace.

Jesus was struck, he died. He paid the payment for our sin when we deserved punishment and death. When Jesus on the cross said ‘It is finished’ he meant it was finished. Jesus does not need to be struck or crucified again. God was satisfied with his sacrifice on the cross on our behalf.

In Num 20:8 the Israelites were without water. Here, God told Moses to speak to the rock and it will provide life sustaining water. The rock had already been stuck, he just needed to talk to it. Follow me here. To take part of that life giving and sustaining water, all we need to do is speak to the rock, who is Jesus Christ. Tell him that you believe him, as weak as that faith may be. And the waters of eternal life will flow into your life and you will become a child of God…forever.

Read: Jn 4:13-14

The living water of eternal life springs from only Jesus. Only Jesus can satisfy your thirst for God and rescue you from death in the wilderness of sin.

Conclusion

Last week I asked you all the question ‘Do you believe?’ Do you believe in God, in his Word, in his Son, Jesus Christ.
I asked you last week whether you believed that God was good, faithful and loving.
I asked you last week whether you believed that God was on your side.
I imagine that almost every one of you answered in the affirmative…yes, I believe!

A week, 7 days has gone by. Did the belief that you professed with great assurance last Sunday…ever waver these past 7 days? Was there a time this past week when you doubted God, his Word, his Son, his love and faithfulness to you? These past 7 days, did you ever once doubt that God was on your side?
Don’t answer too quickly. Think about your week. Think about how you responded to your life situations.

Perhaps you didn’t murmur and complain, perhaps you didn’t blame God like the ancient Israelites but…
Perhaps God provided an opportunity for you to speak for or about him, and you kept silent.
Perhaps God placed you in a situation where your integrity was tested, and you failed.
Perhaps God provided for your need and you failed to recognize it was from him.
Perhaps…

Don’t be too hard on the ancient Israelites, God forgave them and he will forgive you too. This Table is a reminder that in Christ, you have been forgiven.

Say this together with me   ‘Lord I believe, help me in my unbelief.’