Character Study - Complaining

COMPLAINING

Definition to Look Up:
complain:

Verse(s) to Memorize:
Philippians 2:14-15:

Scripture to Read/Study:
The Life and Attitude of the Israelites as they Wandered the Wilderness:
After the Israelites, who were God’s chosen people, were miraculously freed from Egyptian slavery by God via Moses, they went in search of the Promised Land, but they were forced to wander in the Wilderness for forty years because they would not quit complaining against God.

Exodus 15:23-24:
23 Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore, the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

Exodus 16:2-3:
2 Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Numbers 21:4-9:
4 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” 6 So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. 7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

Questions to Answer:
Who were the Israelites?
Give some examples of times they complained.
Give some examples of their punishments for complaining?

Application to Plan: What is the key thing you learned from this lesson?
How can you apply what you learned from this lesson?

Prayer to Pray:

Be Humble

Help/Serve Others
   Mark 9:35 – “If anyone desires to be first, 
                        he shall be last of all and servant of all.” – Jesus
   Mark 10:43-45 – ⁴³ Whoever desires to become great among you 
                                    shall be your servant. 
                               ⁴⁴ And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 
                               ⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.”

“Me first,” is not just something that little kids say.
It’s a heart attitude that many people struggle with.
Jesus told His disciples if they wanted to be first, they should be last and serve everyone.
How can you turn from “me first” to “me last”? How can you serve others?

Use Your Gifts for Others, Not Yourself
  1^st Peter 4:10 – Each of you should use whatever gift you have received
                            to serve others.
  God has given everyone different gifts, not to use for themselves, but for others.
  What gifts has God given you? How can you use them for others?

Mimic/Model Jesus to Others
   Philippians 2:3-11 – ³ Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit,
                                      but in lowliness of mind
                                      let each esteem others better than himself. 
                                    ⁴ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests,
                                      but also for the interests of others.
                                    ⁵ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 
                                    ⁶ who, being in the form of God,
                                       did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 
                                    ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation,
                                       taking the form of a bondservant, 
                                      and coming in the likeness of men. 
                                    ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
                                       He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point
                                       of death, even the death of the cross. 
                                    ⁹ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him
                                      and given Him the name which is above every name, 
                                    ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
                                       of those in heaven, and of those on earth,
                                       and of those under the earth, 
                                    ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
                                       to the glory of God the Father.
When we come to Jesus as believers, we are to be like Jesus.
Jesus was a humble servant.
How are you mimicking Jesus to others? How can you model Jesus to others?

Be Honest With Others About Your Mistakes and Sins
  James 5:16 – Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another,
                        that you may be healed.
We all sin (Romans 3:23).
We don’t have to hide that from others and try to look like we are awesome.
How can you humble yourself and share your mistakes and sins with others?

Listen to Others
  Proverbs 12:15 – The wise listen to advice.
  Humble people listen to others. How can you be a better listener?

Edify/Build Up Others
  Romans 15:2 – Each of us should be concerned for our neighbors’ good,
                           to build them up (edify them).
  Humble people look for ways to build up others. How can you build others up?