Guided Wandering - SERMON NOTES

Below are Pastor Ben's sermon notes from this past Sunday, in case they may be helpful for further study. To listen to the sermon, click the link above.

Intro: (1) series recap (2) comfort through guidance during something new (ice cream) (3) four aspects

The Cloud
1. Present guidance (9:15-17): (1) tabernacle connected to cloud/fire (cf. Ex. 13:20-22, 40:34-28) (2) v.16 emphasizes “always” → despite fear, failure, disobedience, silence (3) for those whose faith is in Christ, God is always with us via HS (4) John 14:25-27, 16:33 → no promise of stress- free but constant presence (cf. Mt. 28:20) (5) tangible things → rainbow, burning bush, incarnation, Bible, communion, baptism, answers to prayer
2. Puzzling guidance (9:18-23): (1) how does God work . . . “sometimes” → no formula (2) different timings → two days, few days, month, longer (3) God does not work according to our timetables (4) despite timing that doesn’t make sense to us, God is always in control (cf. Psalm 90:10-12, James 4:13-17) (5) v.23 → can we be faithful when we are puzzled by God’s timing (cf. Washington’s army during winter)

The Trumpets
1. Ordered guidance (10:1-7): (1) mechanism for getting going (cf. boy scout camp) (2) v.2 → time to move on (4) unity among people (v.3, 5-7), leaders (v.4) (5) one form of guidance is how God has set up his church (cf. three-legged stool) (7) another form is leaders (cf. prayer/counsel, submission, encouraging) (8) connection between "pilgrimage" life and church → too long apart from God’s people creates drift (cf. my time off)
2. Ongoing guidance (10:8-10): (1) “perpetual” nature of trumpets once in the land (2) additional occasions of war (v.9) and celebration (v.10) (3) sometimes we need to be more serious, sometimes more at ease (4) ongoing role of trumpets connected to sacrifices and nature of God (5) we have guidance until the eternal trumpet blows (cf. 1 Thess. 4:16-18, Rev. 7:17)

Conclusion: (1) guidance not answers to questions or solutions to problems, but someone to walk with (Ps. 28:6-9) (2) where do you need the Lord’s guidance today?