Sermon snippet – Today Is Not a Good Time to Complain about the Sermon
INTRODUCTION – I have frequently said that I do not want to be a bitter old geezer. God’s Word makes it clear that murmuring or complaining is not a light thing. Let us briefly consider this iniquitous and nearly ubiquitous problem.
- COMPLAINING IS SIN
Numbers 11:1-2 provides a sobering summation of the seriousness of this sin. It is a direct attack on the character of God, “Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (I Timothy 6:17). We should not conflate the teaching of this passage with that of political free speech. We must have the fortitude to oppose oppression even as we work and pray for righteous change (Romans 13:1; Titus 3:1; I Timothy 2:1-2 – note that the goal is “a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty”). If we do not exercise our Constitutional rights, evil people will take them away. When we speak up against wrongdoing, we are defending God’s character and protecting liberty – even the liberty of those who think that such freedoms are unimportant. The focus of Numbers 11 is discontentment with God; it is a spiritual issue. Similarly, the rebellion of Korah in Numbers 16 is an assault on the nature of God, and the resulting severe punishment confirms this interpretation (verses 31-33). This historical event is employed in I Corinthians 10:10 as a specific and gracious exhortation to all Christians. As John Jasper used to say, “Let God be praised and sinners be warned.”
- WE MUST MAKE AN EFFORT TO AVOID COMPLAINING
Philippians 4:8 is extremely helpful in directing our attention away from negative things to that which is true…honest…just…pure…lovely.” “Think on these things” is a most gracious command, for through the power of God the Holy Spirit indwelling us we can be delivered from carping, critiquing, and complaining. We all have good things in our lives (including, as we have spent the past months studying, heaven); let us then frequently and joyfully consider them. Some things in life have no humor in them, but some do, and I always try to find that humor, for “a merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones: (Proverbs 17:22). However, the temptation to complain continues, especially at home. As we studied last week, God intends to make His home our home if our faith is in God the Son, Jesus Christ. Clearly, then, home is important to our Lord. Yet, we are tempted to complain about and to those closest to us. Thinking about good things is crucial to defeating this temptation, but Philippians 4:9 gives an additional helpful imperative: “Do.” If we make an effort to do good things that are pleasing to God, we will be using our energy appropriately; we can replace negative distractions with positive actions. For example, I have recently been helping my convalescing wife with the shopping. When she finds something for Operation Christmas Child, she holds it tight and beams her brightest sunshiny, sunflowery smile. We all are at our best when we are doing something good for someone, for it is then that we are most like Jesus. Do we sense evil murmuring creeping into our lives? If so, we need to stop, think about good things, get up, and do them. Romans 12:21 says, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” This principle will help us in dealing with the evil of the world (as Romans 12:17-20 makes clear); it will also help us in dealing with the evil within – our still-existent sin nature.
CONCLUSION – Let us finish with three applications. First, today is not a good time to complain about the sermon. Second, we need to be consistently diligent about the dangers of complaining; we need to develop good habits of thinking and doing. In athletic training, it is generally agreed that three months of hard work is undone by one month of inactivity. This 3 to 1 ratio is not a spiritual formula, but it is a reminder that we will reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). Third and most importantly, we must have a saving relationship with Jesus, for all that is good must be “through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).