Editor's note: This story links to a couple of events where you can share the gospel with our community. They are:
By Jeremey Bonnesen
In May, we took a look at the condition of our feet. I asked the question whether our feet were spiritually beautiful? We looked at Romans 10 where Paul draws a connection between our talk and our walk. Paul makes it clear that people will not know the good news of the gospel unless we walk and talk. Or in other words, we go with our feet and tell people with our mouths about Our Amazing King Jesus and what He has done for us and for them.
In Romans 10:13-18, Paul makes it abundantly clear that anyone who calls on Jesus’ name to be saved from his or her sins shall be saved! He says in verse 13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Then in Romans 10:15, Paul quotes from Isaiah; “as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
Recently, I was reading through Numbers; and it struck me that the biggest hurdle in sharing the gospel with the lost that most people have (including me) is the sense of fear that we face. The Israelites were struck with a sense of fear as they grappled with the command God gave them to move forward into the promised land. You see they were fear-stricken as they saw the giants who occupied the land. They focused their eyes on the giants instead of the provision of God who is much, much bigger than any giant.
This is exactly contrary to Exodus 15, when the Israelites sung songs of triumph in praise of God’s favor for having delivered them from the hands of Pharaoh, they were now in the desert gnashing their teeth in fear.
The Israelites were petrified about what God wanted of them. They thought that obeying God in the face of those giants was equivalent to death. They grumbled and blamed God for having brought them all the way to such a terrible situation. They were in great despair wishing they could be allowed to rather return to Egypt than do what God asked of them. Moses and Aaron stood in front of them facedown and startled at the disbelief of the Israelites and their lack of faith in what God provides, since Almighty God so miraculously provided for them when they were in Egypt.
In Numbers chapter 14, Caleb and Joshua tore their clothes to show remorse because they fathomed God’s power and provision, yet others could not see it. They confronted the Israelites to trust in the Lord that He would see them through the things that crippled them with fear.
Numbers 14: 1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
The disbelief of the Israelites displeased God. He even appeared to Moses again and told him He would strike all the Israelites down and make him a great nation if they continued with their skepticism. How could they refute the evidence of all the miracles God did? But Moses and his love for his people pleaded to God that he would show His strength by being slow to anger, loving, and forgiving of those who rebelled and sinned. Although God forgave them, they still had to deal with the consequences of their rebellion. I thank God for His lovingkindness, grace, and mercy in the midst of our times of disbelief.
Numbers 14:6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: 7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. 8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
The Israelites spent 40 more years wandering in the desert. Likewise, the 10 spies who were earlier were not allowed to receive the rewards that were given to the two spies who obeyed God in the face of fear. The two faithful spies (Caleb and Joshua) were blessed because they focused on God’s promises and power in the face of fear.
Numbers 14:24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. 25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea. 26 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. 28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, 30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
Joshua and Caleb went forward in faith and in the power of God’s Spirit! That is the way that you and I are to advance in the face of fear, whether in sharing the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ or any obstacle that stands in the way of obeying God’s command.
I want to be like Joshua and Caleb. I pray that we advance forward in faith, keeping our eyes upon Jesus, The Author and Finisher of our faith! Mathematically, two of 12 is only 16.6% of the people. That’s a small percentage who decided to follow the narrow path of faith that God set in front of them. I want to be a part of that number. Most of the time, I can’t be counted in that small number, but I want to be.
I want HBF to be part of those few who choose that path as we share the good news of Jesus with the lost. So whether it is sharing your faith by sharing your testimony, explaining the gospel to your neighbor/co-worker/friend, participating in the Fun on the 4th Outreach at Harrisonville Park, or participating in Faith and Family Day at the K on July 7- let’s go forward in faith and be like Joshua and Caleb! Not so we can pat ourselves on the back, but so we can exalt the mighty name of Our King Jesus!
Numbers 32:11-12 11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: 12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.