Resources: Lesson Manuscript, PowerPoint
Franklin Heights Church Connect Groups: https://franklinheights.org/connect/groups/
Review: Last week we looked at how God provides for us in the frustrating and overwhelming circumstances when we’re tempted to quit, throw in the towel, lose our cool, or act out. God swoops in and comes alongside of us and sees us through the overwhelming situation, instead of just giving us a pass on the growing opportunity.
Title: The Land
Text: Numbers 13:17-31
Key Verse: Numbers 13:30, “30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, ‘Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.’”
Theme: God requires obedient faith in the face of fear.
Introduction: Have you ever started a project, maybe putting fresh liner paper in the kitchen cabinets or painting rooms in the house, and you got the supplies, commenced the project and somewhere in the midst of it you thought to yourself, “This is much more complicated and time-consuming than I figured. What was I thinking?” Sometimes God puts us in these divinely, hand-picked moments of “What was I thinking?” to stretch our faith as we engage our fears through Him.
Main Points:
- The Task Outlined (Numbers 13:17-20)
“17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, ‘Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, 18 and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, 19 and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, 20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.’”
Moses is told to delegate a secret scouting expedition party out to twelve men who’d begin in the “Negev” a desert region in southern Canaan and then have them move north through the hill country scouting out the Promised Land.
Moses wanted them to find out how dense the opposing peoples were and what their military looked like.
Moses wanted them to see if the land was good or bad, bring back produce, and most importantly “be courageous.”
The most important thing God wants for us is to be courageous in the unknowns, knowing He is in control. Maybe you’re facing an unknown. Seize the opportunity to exercise faith over fear by being courageous in His strength.
II. The Land Assessed (Numbers 13:21-25)
“21 So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. 22 They went up into the Negeb and came to Hebron. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there. 25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land.”
They did the task and were gone for 40 days. They especially noticed the unusually large-sized people of Anak in Hebron, a city with connections to Abraham in Genesis 13:14-18. They named it “Eschol” meaning cluster, most likely due to the large cluster of grapes they brought back from the camp.
God is a promise-keeping God. He was keeping His promise to them to bring them into a land of blessing, just as assuredly as He promises us His guidance and provision as well, ultimately in the final land of Heaven.
Discussion: What’s the balance between acting in faith and gathering the proper information and data in advance before giving something the green light?
III. The Decision at hand (Numbers 13:26-31)
“26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, ‘We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.’ 30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, ‘Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.’ 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.’”
The report started out positive, as the spies shared about the incredible produce (Ex. 3:17).
The key transition in their report and their faith is in the word “However” in verse 28a, as their fear got the better of them and they started reporting on the huge fortifications and the giants in the land like the descendants of Anak.
Caleb more motivated by faith in God than fear of man and the obstacles encouraged them to go up, to go forward with assurance that God would faithfully guide them. The majority of voices discouraged moving forward, but Caleb opposed them confident in God. Sometimes, to move forward in the simplicity of God’s promised plan and faithfulness we just need to look to God over the obstacles.
Gospel: I am so thankful Jesus didn’t look at the obstacle of the cross. He charged forward In courage and willingly-despite the pain and horrors that He would face on our behalf—He obeyed the Father’s will and secured our salvation, rising the third day and giving us the opportunity to be saved from our sin and brokenness to charge forward in faith In advancing the design of His kingdom for His glory.
People express fear, worries, concerns, and sentiments of being stressed at the obstacles that lie before them all the time. To transition everyday conversations into gospel conversations when you encounter folks like this, try this transition statement: “I haven’t dealt with the intimidation of the same obstacles you’re facing, but I have had my share of intimidating obstacles. May I share with you the hope I have found in Jesus?”
Doctrine: Our key doctrine for this week is God the Father.
Lifeway says, “God is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise.”
2 Timothy 1:7, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
2 Peter 1:3, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to[a] his own glory and excellence,”
Discussion Questions:
What kind of obstacles might prevent or delay us from obeying God? What might God be calling you to do, possibly to look into starting an accountability group or look into a new Connect Group? What steps would be best taken to begin implementing that?
Big Takeaway(s):
Believers can depend on God to instruct them in the tasks He has for them.
Obedience to God includes understanding what He is calling us to do.
Believers can face obstacles with faith, knowing that God is with them.
Caleb Walker 
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