Sunday Journal/Study - And That Rock Was Christ

TEXT: 1 Cor. 10:1-5 - Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; [2] And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; [3] And did all eat the same spiritual meat; [4] And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Exodus 17:6 - Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shall smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

Numbers 20:11 - And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

Psalm 78:15 - He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.

The Lord did not call Israel out of Egypt only to deliver them from bondage. He called them OUT of something INTO something specifically a Promised Land He literally gave them had they just believed. Beyond this, He wanted them to be the vehicle of His redemptive plan and a light to other nations of His Grace so that the whole world would be delivered from their bondage. The first generation to leave Egypt did not enter into their inheritance or promise because of rank unbelief, murmuring and complaining despite being so abundantly blessed and delivered by God Who was greatly grieved with that first generation from Egypt. In light of this modern church atmosphere, the question must be asked is He grieved any less with our unbelief today as well?

This modern self-absorbed church of the 21rst Century has followed the same path sadly of that first generation church and finds itself in the same place of judgement and peril as they who God killed off before they would ever see the fulfillment of His promises!

Paul said Israel drank from a spiritual ROCK in the wilderness and that ROCK was CHRIST! Israel ate SPIRITUAL Meat sent down from heaven known as MANNA also a type of Christ, the BREAD OF LIFE! They ALL passed through the sea, baptized into Moses meaning they followed Moses through the Red Sea and were witnesses of some of the greatest miracles ever seen up to that point in history - YET THEY STILL DIDNT BELIEVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Despite all this, the Holy Spirit that with MANY God was not pleased causing them to perish in the wilderness because of their unbelief and complaining. This serves as a stern warning to the modern church for us to not follow Israel's example and perish as well.

The Holy Spirit through Paul in 1 Corinthians says that same ROCK followed Israel during their wilderness journey, "and the Rock was Christ." Just as Jesus was many things to Israel in the wilderness without her understanding then, so too many don't understand the importance of that Rock today!

Jesus was also the manna God sent to feed Israel during times of wilderness hunger; instead of praising God for the manna, Israel murmured and complained. There were times that Israel grew thirsty and God gave living water from this Rock we speak - Israel again murmured and complained. THAT ROCK WAS CHRIST then and He's STILL That ROCK TODAY!

As Israel's wilderness experiences humbled her, so too ours today drive us to become utterly dependent on Him, the BREAD of LIFE and the one who Gives us the WATER springing up unto Eternal Life.

We learn to both hunger and thirst for HIM and nothing else. It is only the water that issues from the presence of the Lord Himself that can quench the true thirst of the human soul. Man's soul is so terribly empty without God that nothing and I mean NOTHING can satisfy it except the fulness of Christ!

The modern gospel has turned into nothing more than an invitation to make ourselves better, our lives less hectic, our bank accounts larger, our way of life nicer and if we can squeeze the will of God into this somehow then that's even better.

It sounds great but the end result as many will sadly discover is DEATH. Eternity is a long time neighbor and we all have a date with it at some point without exception. Israel found out the hard way about what happens to when one drinks from the Rock that is Christ and then turn one's heart aside in unbelief.

The revelation of Christ as the Rock in the Wilderness few understand.

We know if we study our Bibles, that all that happened to Israel was recorded for our examples and admonition. We are not to, nor can we, judge Israel because of Her failure in the wilderness. What modern believer can stand up and say we have not failed also at times in believing God and trusting Him totally for our provision and life?

To be frank, our failure is worse because Israel did not have the revelation of the CROSS in her grasp back then; we do today! The New Covenant, a better covenant, built upon better promises, and headed up by a BETTER PRIESTHOOD in that of CHRIST, was not revealed to Israel, but to the CHURCH.

The source of all victory is the CROSS, which is in essence the NEW COVENANT.

CHRIST is the covenant. It's not some doctrine, some theological discussion, or one of many cute "religious" talking points we post on billboards or sound bytes in a sermon.

CHRIST and HIM CRUCIFIED is what encompasses ALL of God's plan for man. It was laid out before the foundations of the world were even though of:

1 Peter 1:12-16 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. [13] Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; [14] As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: [15] But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [16] Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

1 Peter 1:20-22 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, [21] Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. [22] Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 1 Cor. 1:17-18 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. [18] For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Jesus can never be substituted for humanistic psychology or man-made formulas in man's quest for the truth and eternity. T

he powers of darkness that bind hapless humanity will never bow at the feet of a doctor's degree or new age humanism or any self-help philosophy the modern church pushes on the masses.

How can one leper deliver another? How can one helpless, hopeless individual reach down into a pit and pull another out? They can't! Only One can and He was the Water that quenched Israel's thirst thousands of years ago in the wilderness. He is quenching the thirst for millions still today to those who BELIEVE.

Col. 1:16-17 - For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: [17] And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Paul explained that "in HIM (CHRIST) we live, and move, and have our being." (Acts 17:28). Jesus is the fundamental Reason for the universe and for everything that was created. The whole creation reflects Christ. He IS the LIVING WATER. Just as over 70 percent of the earth's surface is water and over 70 percent of nearly every living thing is composed of water, the Lord fills ALL that live and holds them together.

He permeates the creation with His presence. Man cannot run from God. It's that simple. God is everywhere. The world smirks at the Christian view that God is a Spirit and the Creator of all mankind, but in man's heart he knows God is real. When that soul which is strung out of drugs lays down at night reaching out for another fix, he is really reaching out for the void in his heart that only God can fill.

When the man or woman who sells their body for sexual acts in return for money turns another trick, they are in essence acting out a deeper need in their heart that really is a pit void of something they don't understand. That void can only be filled with God. That is why the foolishness of the modern church world in seeking to give sinful humanity something other than the simple gospel of Christ is so blasphemous and damnable.

Man doesn't need another book to study or another counseling session. Man's problem is SIN and sin's power cannot be broken by any other means but by the power of the blood of Jesus Christ through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Every human being partakes of the presence of the Lord every day whether he realizes it or not. This is the common Grace God gives to all, yet so many reject that presence. Israel rejected it - not only in the wilderness - but when that very presence stood in her midst in the form of Jesus the man some 1500 years later. In the later days, it's clear that the church also does the same:

Rev. 3:13-15 - He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. [14] And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; [15] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. Rev. 3:16-18 - So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. [17] Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knows not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: [18] I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

Rev. 3:19-22 - As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. [20] Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. [21] To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. [22] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.

Sadly, Christ stands at the door OUTSIDE most of our meetings knocking, waiting to get in. He stands outside the HEARTS of many so called believers as well, knocking, patiently waiting, for them to open the door and let Him come in and do the work He so desires to do in preparing them for eternity.

CHRIST IS THE SOURCE OF ALL THE CHURCH'S NEEDS!!! He is the HEAD from which our power comes from to the Body! Without the Head, the Body or Church ceases to be THE CHURCH!!

Christ IS the living water. He IS the manna from heaven. He IS the ROCK upon which we can stand. He wants to quench the thirst in the hearts of those seeking Him.

And in closing, the Rock that IS CHRIST IS NOT DIVIDED!!

He's not FOURSQUARE, WORD OF FAITH, CHARISMATIC, BAPTIST, METHODIST, CHURCH OF GOD or any other movement!!!!

He is the Son of God, the HEAD OF THE CHURCH and ALL that the CHURCH NEEDS today if they will come to Him through the Cross and allow His power - which is the HOLY GHOST - to empower us and set captives free!

All that we seek to do is mere piddle sticks compared to the FINISHED WORK He has already accomplished for those who believe AT THE CROSS!

Our part is to but BELIEVE and obey His voice, which we hear through His Spirit and Who speaks to the church in these latter days.

And that ROCK was Christ! We either put our faith in HIM or we perish as Israel did in the wilderness. I pray better things accompany your salvation today. Maranatha.

cmc

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