Finding Freedom Through Lament in the Wilderness
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor expressing gratitude for the stories passed down to us from 2,000 years ago, which remind us that we are not alone in our struggles. The pastor acknowledges their own desire to complain and grumble in various areas of life, but thanks God for accepting them as they are and allowing them to come before Him with their true selves. The pastor then prays for themselves and their congregation, asking for God's help and guidance in trusting Him during their wilderness experiences, whether it be the COVID-19 pandemic or any other challenges they may be facing.
The pastor then addresses the common tendency to praise God for His faithfulness one moment, only to complain and doubt Him in the next. The pastor emphasizes the importance of bringing our feelings of anger, frustration, and lament before God, rather than hiding in shame or creating new rules for ourselves. The pastor highlights the theme of the sermon series, which is that true hope in God cannot be found without adequately lamenting that which is broken. The pastor also references the book of Psalms and the book of Lamentations as examples of expressing anger toward God as part of the process of true lament.
Pastor C.J. Bergman then introduces the creeds and scripture for the day, starting with the New City Catechism. Question two of the catechism explores the nature of God as the creator and sustainer of all things, highlighting His eternal, infinite, and unchangeable attributes. Question four delves into the purpose of human creation, stating that we were made in God's image to know, love, live with, and glorify Him. Moving on to the scripture passage from Numbers 11:4-16, Pastor Bergman shares the story of the Israelites in the wilderness. The people were discontent and longing for the food they had in Egypt, forgetting the hardships they endured there. They complained about their current situation, feeling that their strength was dried up and all they had was manna to eat.
The pastor then urges the congregation to reflect on the "Egypt" in their lives, the temptations and desires that draw them back into slavery to sin. The pastor suggests that these temptations may include returning to old habits, seeking comfort, or trying to control and manipulate circumstances. However, the pastor encourages the listeners to consider the possibility that Jesus Himself has led them into the wilderness to experience even greater freedom. Quoting Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the pastor emphasizes that just as the Israelites doubted and experienced punishment and repentance, so do we in our own lives. But this is not a mere reverie; it is a holy and godly reality where God deals with us in judgment and grace.
The pastor concludes by reflecting on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, which sets believers free from their sins. The pastor poses the question of whether the wilderness experiences that God invites believers into are ultimately for their good. Drawing from the example of Jesus, who went into the wilderness and ultimately conquered death, the pastor encourages the congregation to trust God's invitation to move into the wilderness, knowing that it leads to even greater freedom.
Key Takeaways:
- The pastor emphasizes the importance of bringing our feelings of anger, frustration, and lament before God, rather than hiding in shame or creating new rules for ourselves. True hope in God cannot be found without adequately lamenting that which is broken. ([12:45])
- The pastor highlights the theme of the sermon series, which is that true hope in God cannot be found without adequately lamenting that which is broken. The pastor also references the book of Psalms and the book of Lamentations as examples of expressing anger toward God as part of the process of true lament. ([18:30])
- The pastor urges the congregation to reflect on the "Egypt" in their lives, the temptations and desires that draw them back into slavery to sin. However, the pastor encourages the listeners to consider the possibility that Jesus Himself has led them into the wilderness to experience even greater freedom. ([24:15])
- The pastor poses the question of whether the wilderness experiences that God invites believers into are ultimately for their good. Drawing from the example of Jesus, who went into the wilderness and ultimately conquered death, the pastor encourages the congregation to trust God's invitation to move into the wilderness, knowing that it leads to even greater freedom. ([32:00])
- The pastor concludes by reflecting on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, which sets believers free from their sins. The pastor poses the question of whether the wilderness experiences that God invites believers into are ultimately for their good. ([38:45])
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Numbers 11:4-6: "The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, 'If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!'"
2. Exodus 15:1-2: "Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: 'I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.'"
3. Exodus 16:1-3: "The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, 'If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.'"
Observation Questions:
1. What were the Israelites complaining about in Numbers 11:4-6 and Exodus 16:1-3?
2. How does the song of Moses and the Israelites in Exodus 15:1-2 contrast with their complaints in the other passages?
Interpretation Questions:
1. What does the craving for the food of Egypt represent in the lives of the Israelites in Numbers 11:4-6?
2. How does the song of praise in Exodus 15:1-2 relate to the Israelites' experiences in the wilderness?
Application Questions:
1. Can you identify an "Egypt" in your life, a temptation or desire that draws you back into sin? What steps can you take to resist this temptation?
2. How can you bring your feelings of anger, frustration, and lament before God this week, rather than hiding them or trying to control the situation yourself?
3. Reflect on a recent wilderness experience in your life. How might this experience be an invitation from God to trust Him more deeply and experience greater freedom?
4. How can you reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus this week to find freedom from your sins and hope in your wilderness experiences?
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Lament as a Path to Hope
In the midst of our struggles, it is important to express our feelings of anger, frustration, and lament to God. Hiding these feelings or creating new rules for ourselves only leads to further isolation. Instead, we should remember that true hope in God cannot be found without adequately lamenting that which is broken. [12:45]
Psalm 13:1-2 - "How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?"
Reflection: What are some areas in your life where you are experiencing frustration or anger? How can you bring these feelings before God in a spirit of lament?
Day 2: Understanding God Through Lament
The process of lamenting is not just about expressing our pain, but also about understanding the nature of God. The book of Psalms and the book of Lamentations provide examples of expressing anger toward God as part of the process of true lament. This process helps us to understand God's character and His love for us, even in our brokenness. [18:30]
Lamentations 3:22-23 - "Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent time of lament in your life. How did this experience help you to understand God's character more deeply?
Day 3: Reflecting on Our Spiritual "Egypt"
Each of us has an "Egypt" in our lives - temptations and desires that draw us back into slavery to sin. These may include returning to old habits, seeking comfort, or trying to control and manipulate circumstances. However, we should consider the possibility that Jesus Himself has led us into the wilderness to experience even greater freedom. [24:15]
Hebrews 12:1 - "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
Reflection: What are some "Egypts" in your life that you need to let go of? How can you trust Jesus to lead you into greater freedom?
Day 4: Trusting God's Invitation to the Wilderness
The wilderness experiences that God invites us into may seem daunting, but they are ultimately for our good. Just as Jesus went into the wilderness and ultimately conquered death, we too can trust God's invitation to move into the wilderness, knowing that it leads to even greater freedom. [32:00]
Deuteronomy 8:2 - "Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands."
Reflection: What wilderness experience is God inviting you into right now? How can you trust Him to lead you through it?
Day 5: Reflecting on the Sacrifice of Jesus
The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross sets us free from our sins and invites us into a life of freedom. This freedom is not without its challenges, but it is ultimately for our good. As we reflect on Jesus' sacrifice, we are reminded of the hope and freedom we have in Him. [38:45]
1 Peter 2:24 - "He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed."
Reflection: How does reflecting on Jesus' sacrifice impact your understanding of the freedom you have in Him? How can this understanding shape your response to the challenges you face?
Quotes
1. "I think that the word wilderness is one of the best words to describe what this past year has felt like for all of us when we think about the wilderness what are some words that come to mind i think of things like quiet, desolate, unformed, wild, death, scarcity." [22:03]
2. "Every invitation from Jesus into the wilderness is intended to set us free. There are always wild beasts in whatever wilderness Jesus is inviting us into, but those are the thoughts and the deeds that enslave us, and Christ wants to deliver us." [22:46]
3. "In the wilderness life is stripped of distractions... solitude in the wilderness makes irrelevant all the people-pleasing habits that have become interwoven into your personality... it reduces the compulsive achiever to something little utterly ordinary only then is he able to be loved." [20:52]
4. "If this god loves us enough to free us from the captivity of our sin, is it possible that whatever wilderness he has invited us into is ultimately for our good? Will we trust his invitation to move into the wilderness toward an even greater freedom?" ([45:58])
5. "I want to submit to you this morning that expressed anger toward God often serves as a part of the process of true lament." [33:30]
6. "If you are living an honest life, I don't know how you can escape feeling anger at God... One's anger at God is actually a result of how important God is to you. It is actually evidence of your holiness and your faithfulness to God." [34:02]
7. "What is the egypt that you are tempted to return to? What is it that you want to go back to? Maybe it's what you've gone back to this year like sin certain comforts or like a mindset of control or manipulating circumstances where the old way is like you know what I'm sick of being faithful to the Lord and trusting him I'm going to go back to my old habits that helped me because God isn't helping me." [40:50]
8. "Jesus understands the wilderness experience better than any of us... I want to jump to the gospels, I want to jump to the gospel Mark and I want to look at what happens to Jesus immediately following his baptism by John and the contrast of Jesus's response to the wilderness from the people of Israel." [42:02]
9. "They needed to remember we were slaves in Egypt... What they are struggling with and what we struggle with is that they wanted to exchange their freedom from slavery for the tyranny of variety of momentary comforts of control over their circumstances." [38:49]
10. "Some of us were already in a wilderness before this last year's pandemic, some of us are beginning to despair that this moment will never end." [24:36]
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