Rabbi Joshua Franklin preached a moving sermon on the story of a reconciliation between estranged brothers found in the Torah. Here is some of what he said:
“This is a powerful lesson for all of us, as it shows the importance of being willing to draw near to others even when it’s difficult, in order to build intimacy and connection…”
The congregation applauded with approval. Then he hit them with the most powerful point. “I didn’t write this. A computer did.”
He used ChatGPT, an AI (that’s Artificial Intelligence)-powered language computer program to simulate conversation. It’s programmed with tons of information that is turned into numbers—probabilities—then turned into possible words. It has the capability to interact convincingly with users’ questions. It can generate reports, essays, even sermons. The reports are long, logical and believable-sounding, but not always accurate.
Students are using it. Lawyers are using it. Large companies are using it. They see it as a tool to process information so they can respond to potential opportunities. Someday preachers may be using it. Every Sunday, a preacher somewhere is delivering a sermon on something—a report from God. Or is it from ChatGPT? There is nothing wrong with AI. We all can use help—in this information age—processing information, but remember, it is artificial. ChatGPT might be able to process information, and give you a report that sounds good, but it may not be a sound report, especially when it comes to what God has to say like when He speaks about His opportunities.
How should you respond to God opportunities? A reliable process—an AI, if you will—couldn’t hurt.
We see two processes in Numbers 13. Israel is given two reports—one bad, one good—by ten spies who assessed the promised land. Those two reports represent two different kinds of people who looked at God opportunities differently through two different AIs.
We will see in Numbers 13, those two groups. First, we will see “nevertheless” people who use an AI that is adversity influenced. Second, we will see “by all means” people who use an AI that is Almighty influenced. Church, as you stand at the precipice of your new opportunity, your next step, what will be your AI—your process? It will determine what you do with opportunity—either to waste it or realize it.
First, there are “nevertheless” people. No matter how great God is, they see obstacles over opportunities. They generate negative reports based on an AI that is adversity influenced. As the Israelites stood at the precipice of a new opportunity, their next steps in their pursuit of the promises of God, Moses sent ten spies into the promised land for forty days. Eight returned with a negative report. They saw the size of the giants despite the size of the grapes and the size of their God.
"27Thus they told him, and said, "We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28"Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified [and] very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there. Num. 13:27-28
The “Nevertheless” eight focused on the giants rather than the giant grapes—a representation of the fruits of faith in God. “Nevertheless” people processed what they saw with an AI vision clouded by adversity’s influence. They saw obstacles over opportunities even though God has demonstrated His power to keep his promises since He brought them out of Egypt. For their dismissive, negative, “Nevertheless” response to the opportunities they witnessed those forty days, God judged the “Nevertheless” with negative consequences. “Nevertheless” faith produces never-to-be-experienced opportunities:
1. First, God judged the leaders who spread contagious doubt with their “Nevertheless” report. He sent a plague to wipe out those leaders. (37)
2. Second, God judged that present adult generation of doubters who had seen the delivering handiwork of God, yet wanted to go back to Egypt. They were commissioned to wander in the desert for forty more years—a year for every day the spies focused on the obstacles rather than the opportunities, until all doubters died off. (v. 14:32, 34)
3. Third, those who proceeded to fight the inhabitants of the land without God were soundly defeated. (14:43-45)
Church, wherever you go there will be obstacles, but they are never as big as you think they are. Doubt and fear can exaggerate perception, and influence how your see opportunity. Church, as you stand at the precipice of your new opportunity, your next steps, if your AI is adversity influenced, you may miss your greatest opportunity for giant grapes.
Second, there are “by all means” people. No matter how great the giants, they see the grapes—the product of God’s promise. They process what they see with another AI—Almighty Influence. Two of the ten spies, Kaleb and Joshua, brought back a minority “by all means” report because, despite being out numbered, they saw opportunity through a different lens. Because they have seen God Almighty do it before, they were certain they could overcome any obstacle. Their AI was Almighty influenced.
30Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.".
The consequences of this “by all means” faith—the faith of Father Abraham—is a “pleased God”, for the writer of Hebrews says “without faith it is impossible to please God.” And when God is pleased, walls that block opportunities come tumbling down “by all means” necessary.
8"If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us-- a land which flows with milk and honey. Num. 13:8
The first major wall to come to come down was Jericho. God did the heavy lifting. All Israel had to do was lift their voices and horns in praise.
20 So the people shouted, and [the priests] blew with the horns. And it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the horn, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. Joshua 6:20
“By all means” faith still works today. You must be willing to march with an AI view.
“By all means” people have marched by faith and love around the walls of segregation so all people will have access to opportunities rooted in the American dream. Unfortunately, those walls are being rebuilt as fast as they come down, but you got to keep marching.
“By all means” students are marching by faith and love today around the walls of irrational guns laws so they can have the opportunity of peace at school.
“By all means” women and men are marching by faith and love around the walls of reproductive and trans rights so all can live their lives with agency and authenticity.
Church, wherever you go there will be obstacles, but they are never bigger than God. “By any means” faith gives you an overcomers perspective, like that of Caleb and Joshua. They acknowledged the giant obstacles, but chose to focus on grapes opportunities. For that, they were the only ones of their contemporaries who made it out of the wilderness and into the land of milk and honey and grapes. Church, as you stand at the precipice of your new opportunity, your next steps, if your AI is Almighty influenced, the numbers are in your favor. You may we out voted 8 to 2, but you see means because you plus your faith plus God is an unbeatable majority. Go and possess your grapes. The numbers are in your favor.
CONCLUSION
There are two kinds of people who look at opportunity with very different eyes, who believe two different reports, who have two different “AI’s”. First, there are “nevertheless” people. No matter how great God is, they see obstacles instead of opportunities. They generate negative reports based on an AI that is adversity influence. They die never realizing their opportunities. But then there are “by all means” people. No matter how great the giants, they see the giant grapes, the product of an Almighty God. They process what they see with a different AI—an Almighty influence.
Today, ChatGPT is the hottest program in social media. It has the ability generate reports, essays, even sermons. The reports are long, logical and believable-sounding, but often inaccurate. Students are using it. Lawyers are using it. Large companies are using it. Someday preachers may be using it. It may sound like it’s from God, but it’s not. When it comes to processing God’s opportunities, the report is out. The only AI you want is Almighty Influence. Its report is simple, believable: The bigger the giants, the bigger the grapes.
The bigger the grapes, the greater the proof that God has something special for you. Go and have a grape day.
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