My Big Fat Mouth: Complaining
Thom Redmond
Exodus 14:10-12, Exodus 16:8, 2 Corinthians 11:19-30, Philippians 2:14-16, Acts 16:25-34, Philippians 1:12-13
Question: In there anybody in the Bible who complained a lot?
Exodus 14:10-12 - 10 As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, 11 and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? 12 Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’”
What is our first response to challenging situations?
Exodus 16:8 - 8 Then Moses added, “The Lord will give you meat to eat in the evening and bread to satisfy you in the morning, for he has heard all your complaints against him. What have we done? Yes, your complaints are against the Lord, not against us.”
Question: What do you complain about?
There is one person who had the right to complain. His name was Paul.
2 Corinthians 11:19-30 is a summeray of what Paul had to deal with.
How would you compare your life to his?
Learn the difference between
and
.
If you can change your circumstances, do something about it.” If you cannot change your circumstances, change your perspective. —Craig Groeschel
What should we change too?
Philippians 2:14-16 - 14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.
Acts 16:25-34 - 25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.
Acts 16:25 -25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.
Perspective Change
*Paul recognizes that HE is not the story. JESUS is.*
the Lord to use
_ to tell his.
Acts 16:26-27 -26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself.
Paul did not change the circumstances, but God did.
Acts 16:28 - 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
Acts 16:29-30 - 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
The Great Question
The salvation message is priority number one for Jesus.
Philippians 1:12-13 - 12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. 13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.