[사모하는교회 • 백승철 목사] 기독교 역사의 향방은 다수가 아닌 소수에 의해 진행 #사모하는교회 #백승철목사 #2분설교 #2분성경 #2분말씀

Key Passage

Numbers 14

1. All the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2. All the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “We wish that we had died in th…

Speaker

백승철 목사

Date

2026-09-30

Length

3 min

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Summary

The history of Christianity conveys the message that it is led by the faith of a minority rather than the opinions of the majority. In the incident at Kadesh Barnea, Joshua and Caleb sought to overcome difficulties with the belief that God was with them. We must remember that God is with us even in unfavorable circumstances, and we should move forward based on that faith. A life lived with the Lord deepens our faith and gives us the strength to overcome fear.

Bible Verses

Numbers 14 1. All the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2. All the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “We wish that we had died in the land of Egypt, or that we had died in this wilderness! 3. Why does Yahweh bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be captured or killed! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return into Egypt?” 4. They said one to another, “Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.” 5. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. 6. Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were of those who spied out the land, tore their clothes. 7. They spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceeding good land. 8. If Yahweh delights in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us; a land which flows with milk and honey. 9. Only don’t rebel against Yahweh, neither fear the people of the land; for they are bread for us. Their defense is removed from over them, and Yahweh is with us. Don’t fear them.” 10. But all the congregation threatened to stone them with stones. Yahweh’s glory appeared in the Tent of Meeting to all the children of Israel. 11. Yahweh said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have worked among them? 12. I will strike them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.” 13. Moses said to Yahweh, “Then the Egyptians will hear it; for you brought up this people in your might from among them. 14. They will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you Yahweh are in the midst of this people; for you Yahweh are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them, and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night. 15. Now if you killed this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of you will speak, saying, 16. ‘Because Yahweh was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to them, therefore he has slain them in the wilderness.’ 17. Now please let the power of the Lord be great, according as you have spoken, saying, 18. ‘Yahweh is slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation.’ 19. Please pardon the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your loving kindness, and according as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.” 20. Yahweh said, “I have pardoned according to your word: 21. but in very deed, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with Yahweh’s glory; 22. because all those men who have seen my glory, and my signs, which I worked in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have tempted me these ten times, and have not listened to my voice; 23. surely they shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, neither shall any of those who despised me see it. 24. But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed me fully, him I will bring into the land into which he went. His seed shall possess it. 25. Since the Amalekite and the Canaanite dwell in the valley, tomorrow turn, and go into the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.” 26. Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 27. “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, that murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. 28. Tell them, ‘As I live, says Yahweh, surely as you have spoken in my ears, so will I do to you. 29. Your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all who were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, who have murmured against me, 30. surely you shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore that I would make you dwell therein, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. 31. But your little ones, that you said should be captured or killed, them I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have rejected. 32. But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. 33. Your children shall be wanderers in the wilderness forty years, and shall bear your prostitution, until your dead bodies are consumed in the wilderness. 34. After the number of the days in which you spied out the land, even forty days, for every day a year, you will bear your iniquities, even forty years, and you will know my alienation.’ 35. I, Yahweh, have spoken. I will surely do this to all this evil congregation, who are gathered together against me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.” 36. The men, whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up an evil report against the land, 37. even those men who brought up an evil report of the land, died by the plague before Yahweh. 38. But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, remained alive of those men who went to spy out the land. 39. Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, and the people mourned greatly. 40. They rose up early in the morning, and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, “Behold, we are here, and will go up to the place which Yahweh has promised: for we have sinned.” 41. Moses said, “Why now do you disobey the commandment of Yahweh, since it shall not prosper? 42. Don’t go up, for Yahweh isn’t among you; that you not be struck down before your enemies. 43. For there the Amalekite and the Canaanite are before you, and you shall fall by the sword, because you turned back from following Yahweh, therefore Yahweh will not be with you.” 44. But they presumed to go up to the top of the mountain. Nevertheless, the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and Moses, didn’t depart out of the camp. 45. Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites who lived in that mountain, and struck them and beat them down, even to Hormah.

Sermon Structure

Christian History is Changed by the Faith of a Few

The Faith of a Few

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This Week's Devotions

Six days of devotions drawn from this Sunday's sermon — one for each day, Monday through Saturday.

Verse of the WeekNumbers 14:9: "Only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not fear the people of the land, for they are our bread. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them."

Monday

The Faith of the Few Makes an Impact

Today's PassageNumbers 14:6-9

Joshua and Caleb encouraged the Israelites with the faith of the few. They had the assurance that God was with them, and that faith led to action.

Ask YourselfCan I be one of the few who act in faith?

Do This TodayToday, let's make a small decision with faith.

PrayerGod, please help me to be someone who acts in faith.

2Tuesday · Perspective on the Situation🔓 Unlock free 3Wednesday · Walking with God🔓 Unlock free 4Thursday · Courage of Faith🔓 Unlock free 5Friday · Clinging to God's Promises🔓 Unlock free 6Saturday · Believing in the Power of the Few🔓 Unlock free

Check Your Understanding

Five quick questions from this Sunday's message. Tap an answer to see if you're right.

What are the characteristics of Christian history emphasized in the sermon?

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Full Transcript

Preacher: Pastor Baek Seung-cheol

Date: 2026-09-30

Dear friends, there are more people here who want to spend the winter. So they have no choice but to go there. Paul may be the only one who wants to stay in Fair Havens. It is truly strange. The history of the Bible does not move according to the rule of the majority. This is a characteristic of Christian history. It is driven by a minority group. Do you know about the incident at Kadesh Barnea? They sent twelve spies to scout the land of Canaan and received reports. And even though those ten saw the same scenery at the same time and place, they reported that if we go there, we will die. They said that not only is it a land flowing with milk and honey, but there isn’t even a drop of grain growing there. We should not go. At that time, only two people said to go. Who are they? Joshua and Caleb. >> Caleb. >> According to the opinion of the majority, that place is somewhere we cannot go. Therefore, the history of the Bible moves around Caleb and Joshua. It does not move around the majority. Look at Numbers 14. If we examine verse 9, it explains this. Let’s read it together. "Only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not fear the people of the land, for they are our bread. Their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them." What is the point? >> The Lord is with us. This is not visible to others. >> Hmm. They only see the circumstances. They keep looking at the unfavorable situations. But if God is with us even in those unfavorable circumstances, it is okay. There is no reason to be afraid. We keep missing this point. >> We are caught up in the illusion of Phoenix. If God is not with Phoenix, what use is it? The Lord being with us means that we have believed what God has said. It also means that at least these two people risked their lives to believe in God's promise and go forward.

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