Making the Church Relevant Again: Relevance is Found In the Wisdom of God

Man's wisdom has made the church often irrelevant. What is needed to make the church relevant again is for it to learn to lean on God's wisdom and not man's. During the Israelites journey from slavery in Egypt to the promised land God attempted to teach them this simple fact. But, with no success. What is hurting the church today is that we think we know what the world needs. To become relevant again the church needs to learn how to be led by God.

Mankind is proud of its achievements. The technology it has bought forth that has benefited the lives of many. The medical advances that have us living longer than mankind has in recent history. Its intellectual pursuits that has created a society whose morals are crumbling, whose ethics are spotty, whose education system is failing the masses and whose society as a whole is built on shifting and sinking sand. Yet, mankind proudly points to its wisdom in rejecting God while extolling its own learning.

Leaning to lean on the wisdom of God is something that took the Israelites decades to learn, if they ever learned it. Learning to lean on God seems to take many a long time to learn. And, even when the lesson is learned we tend to revert back to leaning on our own wisdom. In this article we will see where that got the Israelites. Mankind is proud of its achievements. The technology it has bought forth that has benefited the lives of many. The medical advances that have us living longer than mankind has in recent history. Its intellectual pursuits that has created a society whose morals are crumbling, whose ethics are spotty, whose education system is failing the masses and whose society as a whole is built on shifting and sinking sand. Yet, mankind proudly points to its wisdom in rejecting God while extolling its own learning.

Leaning to lean on the wisdom of God is something that took the Israelites decades to learn, if they ever learned it. Learning to lean on God seems to take many a long time to learn. And, even when the lesson is learned we tend to revert back to leaning on our own wisdom. In this article we will see where that got the Israelites.

Numbers 10:35-36 & Numbers 11:1-6 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,“Rise up, Lord! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.”Whenever it came to rest, he said,“Return, Lord,to the countless thousands of Israel.” Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the Lord had burned among them. 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!”

Although the people were where God had led them. Although they where they needed to be to get to what God had for them. Although it was a place were God was going to provide for them. Although it was a place where they had much to learn before they could enter the land of promise. Although they had seen a miracle every day. Despite the cloud by day, the pillar of fire by night, the manna and the water, they still complained. They did not think they are being feed as they deserved or needed. They presumed to tell God what he needed to feed them. They thought their wisdom was wiser than the wisdom of God.

DID YOU NOTICE WHO STIRRED THEM UP? The rabble.

I ASK YOU WHERE WAS THE LEADERSHIP? In Exodus Chapter 18, Moses under the advice of

Jethro is father-in-law had previously selected leaders from among the people to help him govern the people. He selected wise men who were already respected by the community. Last we saw where they failed to lead wisely at the time of the creation of the golden calf. Tonight we see them again failing to step forth and provide wisdom and direction to the people when the rabble stirred them up.

Maybe, that is why God decided to call forth men to be leaders and to anoint them with the spirit that he had placed upon Moses.

Numbers 11:16-20 Jehovah said to Moses, Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and the officers over them. And bring them to the tabernacle of the congregation so that they may stand there with you. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take of the spirit on you, and will put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you so that you do not bear it yourself alone.

(Reminds me some of our ordination services.)

And say to the people, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat flesh. For you have wept in the ears of the Lord, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat, for it was well with us in Egypt? Therefore Jehovah will give you flesh, and you shall eat. You shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days. Even a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils, and it is hateful to you, because you have despised Jehovah among you, and have wept before Him, saying, Why did we come out of Egypt?

God anointed 70 elders with the same spirit that he had imparted to Moses. Then, he taught them and the children of Israel a lesson about telling God what they needed. He tried again to impart to them their need to trust in the love and wisdom of God. And, not to lean on their own understanding.

Moving on. God had something in store for them. All they had to do was get through what they saw as a dry and barren land. Even it was a land of miracles and provision. Maybe not to their liking, but according to God's plan, if they would only open their spiritual eyes and see it. If they could get their eyes off what they wanted and see what God had for them in the future and right now. And, there leadership seemed to be just as bad.

Now, we find the nation of Israel on the edge of the promised land. God has them on the threshold of the blessed land flowing with milk and honey. Yet, God paused them. Maybe their previous attitude led God to see the need for them to verify what he had for them so,...

Numbers 13:1-3 Jehovah spoke to Moses saying, Send men so that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give to the sons of Israel. You shall send a man from every tribe of their fathers, everyone a ruler among them. And Moses by the command of Jehovah sent them from the wilderness of Paran. All those men were heads of the sons of Israel.

Finally, they had arrived at the edge of the promised land. The jumping off point for the abundant life God had waiting for them. Notice they did not send out untested men. These men who had been selected were respected as rulers and leaders. Men who had earthly wisdom. Yet.... We know the story. It does not have a happy ending

Numbers 13:25-33 And they returned from spying out the land after forty days.... And they told him and said, We came to the land where you sent us, and surely it flows with milk and honey. And this is the fruit of it. … JEHOVAH HAS NOT LIED TO US. THE LAND IS AS HE SAID. LET US HURRY AND PACK UP AND TAKE POSSESSION OF THIS LAND. SURELY THE LORD HAS BLESSED UP AND ALL THAT HE HAS TOLD US SHALL COME TO PASS...

(Finally they had learned. I had about given up on them myself. Moses and God both had at times been mad at them. But, it had all worked out.)

However, the people that dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are walled, very great. And also we saw the children of Anak there. … But the men that went up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.

(They had seen God destroy the mighty Egyptian army while they lifted not a figure and they lost not a man. Yet...These people scared them.)

And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched to the sons of Israel, saying, The land through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eats up those who live in it. And all the people whom we saw in it were men of stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, of the giants. And we were in our own sight like grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

The problem here, as often it is, they did not select men with the heart and mind of God or with their spiritual eyes opened. These were men who apparently had wisdom. All twelve returned from the hostile land, so I am sure they selected capable men. They had traveled the land for forty days without getting caught. I am sure they selected trustworthy men. Well regarded men. Men whose words the congregation would receive and believe. That is evident by the fact that the report of the 10 false witnesses was believed. Even through there report stood in stark contrast to the plan and words of God.

Yet, their advice was heeded. And, as a result of their words, …

Numbers 14:2-4 And all the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. And the whole congregation said to them, Oh that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or, Oh that we had died in the wilderness! And why has Jehovah brought us into this land to fall by the sword, so that our wives and our sons should be a prey? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt? And they said to one another, Let us make a leader, and let us return to Egypt.

Here they were just days away from the land of promise. Having seen the daily provision of God. Selected rulers had confirmed the words of God about the bountiful land ahead. Yet, almost everyone wanted a new leader and they wanted to return to the land of bondage. They would have preferred to die in the wilderness than to claim what God had for them. It might have required a battle or two. Some may have died. But, many more would die in the wilderness. Because they would fail to listen to the ones who had the mind and heart of God. They chose the majority report. They rejected the words of the two men who had the mind and heart of God.

We blamed the 10 whose spiritual eyes where not working, BUT, where were the other leaders upon whom God has placed his spirit as he had on Moses. None seemed to be led by the wisdom of God. All seemed to be relying on their own wisdom.

Numbers 14:6-10 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those that searched the land, tore their clothes. And they spoke to all the company of the sons of Israel saying, The land which we passed through to search is an exceedingly good land. If Jehovah delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against Jehovah, neither fear the people of the land. For they are bread for us. Their protection has moved from them, and Jehovah is with us. Do not fear them. But all the congregation said to stone them.

The two who had the heart and mind of God, were ignored. Instead of seeing the vision these two had confirmed, they wanted to kill them. If God had not intervened these two men of God would have been killed. And, if Moses had not beseeched God on their behalf, all the congregation might have died.

WHY? Because they were smarter than God. Because they knew more than God. Because they wanted what they wanted?

ENDING: The lesson learned by looking at this period in the birth of the Nation of Israel is reinforced in the New Testament.

1Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Acts 6:3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.

1Corithians 1:19-20 For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart. Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”

Why is the church deemed by many to not be relevant? God has gifted the church with:

Educated people.

People with business savvy.

Experienced people. (Old people are a gift, if they have learned the lesson God has provided for them.)

Energy in the form of youth. (Young people are a gift, it they are able to utilize the wisdom of the old.)

Financial resources.

Many who have various talents and gifts.

If we can learn to place these resources under the control of God, the church will be relevant again.

All we need is to learn to lean on God for direction at this time. God is relevant. His wisdom created the world and all that are in it. All we need to be relevant is the follow God's will. To listen to the Holy Spirit's direction. Certainly, the church has done it at times in the past and it will do it at times in the future, but to be relevant the church needs to be sure that it is doing it now.