Topic
1. Introduction:
A. The nation of Israel complained repeatedly and God got tired of it and punished them for it.
1. Num.21:4-9
B. We have just celebrated a special day of Thanksgiving in our nation
1. Yet whining & complaining seems to almost be our national past-time.
C. The truth of the matter is that most people complain about all kinds of things.
1. We complain about the weather, how tired we are, our health problems, our money problems,
2. The government, our employers, our meal, our clothes, our fellow employees, our responsibilities
3. Our mates, our children, our parents, our church & on & on & on
D. Complaining is criticizing our authorities for how they have provided for us...
E. Do you ever whine, complain, or murmur?
1. God killed lots of the Israelites for whining and complaining, but what about today?
2. Does God care if we complain? Does he care if we whine & gripe?
2. Complaining is condemned by God.
A. In the story we just talked about, God sent fiery Serpents (snakes) into the camp of Israel to bite and kill them.
1. Why do you think God would do something like that? Because of their incessant complaining!
B. 1 Cor.10:6-11
C. Jude 10-16
D. Complaining about other people is called backbiting and is condemned in the strongest terms in the Bible
1. Romans 1:30-32
a. Backbiters listed with haters of God
b. Worthy of Death
2. 1 Cor.5:9
a. Railer shunned by the church
3. What is wrong with complaining?
A. God specifically commands us not to complain
1. 1 Cor.10:6-11
B. All complaining is actually against God -
1. Exodus 16:8
C. Complaining shows a lack of gratitude toward God and what he has done for us
1. We recognize this with our children, why don t we see it in ourselves?
D. Complaining discourages others and causes them to sin
1. Moses losing his entrance to the promised land
2. Heb.13:17
4. Why do people complain?
A. We complain because we are self-centered and controlled by what we want
1. Jude 10-16
a. The food isn t my favorite, in fact, I really don t even like soup, especially if there is no meat to go with it
b. Remember Israel and the Quail?
B. Why do YOU complain?
5. How do I fix the problem of complaining?
A. You must develop an attitude of gratefulness toward God and others -1 Thess.5:18
B. You must realize just what you have been given
1. Luke 7:36-48
2. Romans 6:23
C. You must put off tearing down by Complaining and put on building up
1. Ephesians 4:29
2. Build up those around you