WEBVTT

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 your Bible to Exodus chapter 16. We are continuing in our series through this wonderful book

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 about the God who saves. Exodus 16, we're looking at the whole chapter this morning,

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 but I'll begin by reading verses 1 through 12.

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 They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin,

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 which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed

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 from the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and

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 Aaron in the wilderness. And the people of Israel said to them, would that we had died by the hand

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 of the Lord in the land of Egypt when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full,

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 for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger?

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 Then the Lord said to Moses, behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you. And the people

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 shall go out and gather a day's portion every day that I may test them whether they will walk in my

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 law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as

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 they gather daily. So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, at evening you shall know

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 that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see

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 the glory of the Lord, because He has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we that

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 you grumble against us? And Moses said, when the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the

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 morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against Him,

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 what are we? Your grumbling is not against us, but against the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron,

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 say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, come near before the Lord, for He has heard

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 your grumbling. And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel,

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 they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.

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 And the Lord said to Moses, I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them,

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 at twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know

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 that I am the Lord your God. Let's pray. Father, we pray that as we look into this passage this morning

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 that we would know that you are the Lord our God. We pray that we would see you as the God who saves

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 and sustains. And we pray that you would strengthen our faith and hope in you that we may trust you.

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 In Jesus' name, amen. Have you ever found yourself facing a wilderness? A wilderness is an unwelcoming

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 place, a harsh and barren landscape, seemingly no protection from the heat of the day,

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 and the shivering cold of the night. Maybe you've faced, or maybe you're facing a literal wilderness,

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 hunger, thirst, homelessness. You don't know where your next meal is coming from.

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 Maybe you've lived in a wilderness of loneliness, isolation, grief, uncertainty.

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 Rejection. Maybe you've come to New Haven from somewhere far away where you felt at home and

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 where you were flourishing, and you've come here and you haven't quite found it to be a city that

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 opens its arms to you. And you wonder, can I really find a place here? Can I flourish here? Will I ever feel

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 at home? The motto of the state of Connecticut is qui transtulat sustenet, which means he who

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 transplanted still sustains. And if you look at the seal of the state of Connecticut, it has the motto

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 along with three grape vines. It actually goes all the way back to 1639 when Connecticut was a British

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 colony. And one historian wrote, the vine symbolized the colony brought over and planted here in the

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 wilderness. And the motto expresses our belief that he who brought over the vine continues to sustain it.

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 Those God saves, he also sustains. That's the idea behind the motto of our state, and that's also the

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 main idea of this section in Exodus chapter 16, 17, and 18. We've seen how God saved the Israelites.

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 He brought them out of slavery in Egypt. He brought them through the Red Sea waters, and they sang a song

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 of victory. But now they face a wilderness ahead. Today we're looking at how God supplies bread for

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 their hunger. Next week we'll look at how God supplies water for their thirst. Two weeks from now we'll look at

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 how God gives them help when they're facing conflicts within and without.

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 And in all these episodes we'll see that the same God who saves is also the God who sustains.

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 Now today I want to look at this passage in two parts. I want to look at the people's grumbling,

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 and I want to look at the Lord's provision.

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 So first the people's grumbling. Did you notice how often that word grumbling appeared in those

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 first 12 verses? I counted at least eight times. But I want you to notice three things about the

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 people's grumbling. First notice how quickly the people started grumbling. Verse 1 says that it was

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 on the 15th day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt.

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 In other words, it was only one month after the Exodus because the Exodus, the Passover, was the

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 14th day of the first month, and now it's the 15th day of the second month.

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 And think about all that God had done for the Israelites during that one month. He had delivered them

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 from centuries of cruel bondage under Pharaoh. He had spared them from the judgment on the firstborn

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 in their households. He had accompanied them with a pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by

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 night. He had parted the Red Sea and saved them from the Egyptian army that was pursuing them and

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 wanted to kill them. And then after a journey into the desert, God led them to a place called Elim

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 where there were 12 springs of water and 70 palm trees. Sounds like a pretty nice oasis in the desert.

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 But what are the people doing? They're grumbling, whining, complaining. Now, they weren't just

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 lamenting some legitimately hard circumstances, and that's not wrong. They weren't turning to the Lord

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 and crying out to Him for help. That would have been a good thing. They quickly became angry and bitter

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 and hopeless, and they said, we wish we had died back in the land of Egypt. Now, do they really mean

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 that? I don't know. Do you really mean what you say when you're angry and bitter and hopeless and you

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 say all kinds of things? The Israelites were a little bit like toddlers. If you've ever spent time with

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 young children, you know that you can go from spending the whole day at the beach and you have hot dogs or a

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 picnic lunch and you get ice cream from the ice cream truck, and then you finally say it's time to go home

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 and there's a complete meltdown. Right? You've just had this great day.

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 I mean, don't you remember all the things that happened to us today?

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 In Deuteronomy, Moses describes that wilderness period as the time of Israel's infancy or sort of toddlerhood.

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 He says, in the wilderness, the Lord your God carried you as a man carries his son.

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 God was patient in bearing with his children's tendency to quickly grumble and rebel and complain.

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 That's the first thing about their grumbling. Notice how quickly it happened. But second,

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 notice how their perspective became distorted in the process. Their memory of the past,

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 their perspective on the present, and on the future.

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 You know, last week we looked at that great song of praise that they sang to the Lord when they

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 stood on the other side of the Red Sea and they sang the song of joy and victory.

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 You know, it seems like they stopped singing that song pretty quickly.

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 They started singing a different song.

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 They started singing about those happy golden years back in Egypt when we sat by the meat pots and ate

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 all the bread we wanted. That's an interesting way to remember the land of slavery.

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 Now, the Israelites probably ate meat sometimes in Egypt. They owned livestock after all.

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 But that was a pretty distorted memory of the past.

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 They only remember a tiny fraction of what it really was.

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 And then, they say to Moses and Aaron,

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 you have brought us into the wilderness to kill us and starve us to death.

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 Even though in the wilderness, they had actually come closer to God than ever before.

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 They had seen his power and seen his glory and experienced his saving grace

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 in more powerful ways than they ever had in their entire life.

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 And they were on their way to the promised land.

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 They were closer to their final destination than ever before.

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 And yet, they look around.

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 And they say, you've brought us here to kill us.

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 Now, it's not even clear whether they had run out of food yet.

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 Next week, we're going to look at the water passages.

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 And there, it actually says they had no water or the water was bitter.

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 They were thirsty.

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 Here, it doesn't even say they ran out of food.

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 It just says they started grumbling.

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 Psalm 78 says they tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.

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 You know, the Bible distinguishes between good desires and sinful cravings.

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 As human beings, we have good desires, right?

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 You get hungry, you need food.

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 You get thirsty, you need water.

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 You get tired, you need rest.

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 Those are legitimate desires.

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 But sometimes, a legitimate desire becomes a sinful craving.

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 And a sinful craving has a bottomless pit like the pit of hell.

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 It's never satisfied.

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 It's never satisfied because it's a space that can only be filled with God himself.

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 And when you're trying to fill that space with anything else, it'll never fill the hole.

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 And so, the Bible says we have to put sinful cravings to death because they're idolatries.

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 They're pursuing something else as if it's going to satisfy us like only God can.

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 And it says we need to bring to God our legitimate desires and ask him for help and for what we need.

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 You know, it's very easy for Acts, in the book of Acts, chapter 7, it says this.

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 It says,

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 That's an interesting way to put it.

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 They were facing the wilderness, but in their hearts, they turned back to Egypt.

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 You see, God had gotten them out of Egypt.

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 And we've just seen that.

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 But in some ways, that was the easy part because he still had to get Egypt out of them.

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 Now, it's very easy for our perspective on the past, present, and future to become distorted

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 in the midst of trying circumstances when we're in the middle of a wilderness.

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 Several years ago, some family researchers conducted a study of several hundred unhappily married people.

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 They started with a representative sample from a larger nationwide survey.

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 They then followed up with him five years later.

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 Here are some of their conclusions.

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 Unhappily married adults who divorced were no happier five years after the divorce

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 than were equally unhappy couples who remained together.

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 And two-thirds of unhappily married people who remained married

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 reported marriages that were happy five years later.

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 Many of these had endured serious problems, including alcoholism, infidelity, verbal abuse,

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 emotional neglect, depression, illness, and work and money troubles.

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 Unhappy spouses who divorced had no greater sense of overall happiness,

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 no greater sense of personal mastery,

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 no less hostility,

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 no higher sense of purpose in life,

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 and no more self-acceptance or self-esteem than unhappily married people who stuck with their marriages.

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 They had slightly more depressive symptoms,

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 and they reported a good deal more alcohol consumption.

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 The only situation where divorce generally increased psychological well-being

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 was when the marriage had been characterized by ongoing physical violence.

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 Now, these are generalizations,

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 and there's much more that could be said from the Bible

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 about marriage and divorce in specific cases.

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 But this isn't a sermon on marriage and divorce.

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 I'm simply trying to make a general point.

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 When we're in the wilderness,

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 our perspective can easily become distorted.

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 We say the grass always seems greener on the other side.

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 One husband who was quoted in that study said,

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 you just have to remember

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 that the greener grass

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 is actually just astroturf.

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 So they grumbled quickly.

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 Their perspective was distorted.

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 And third, notice to whom their grumbling was directed.

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 The people did not bring their complaints to the Lord.

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 In fact, they don't talk to God at all.

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 They grumbled against their spiritual leaders.

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 Psychologists call this displacement.

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 You're angry about one thing,

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 but you take it out on somebody else

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 who might be completely unrelated

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 or only tangentially relevant to the situation.

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 So here, they grumble against Moses and Aaron.

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 And Moses says, Moses calls their bluff.

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 Moses says, why us?

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 Your beef is with the Lord.

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 Let's be honest here.

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 God has heard your grumbling,

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 and God is going to answer you.

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 Now, every so often,

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 people have an issue with one of the pastors

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 or with the elders.

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 And you know what?

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 As pastors, we sometimes fall short.

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 And sometimes we need you,

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 and we need each other.

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 That's why we have a team of elders here.

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 Sometimes we need other people to lovingly correct us

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 and to sharpen us and challenge us

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 and broaden our perspective.

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 We should never be above

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 receiving constructive criticism.

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 Now, it's not always easy for us to do,

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 so it's helpful if you can be both gentle and clear

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 if you have a concern.

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 But you know, sometimes people don't just give

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 constructive criticism and thoughtful concerns.

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 Sometimes people grumble

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 against one spiritual leader

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 and then another spiritual leader.

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 Sometimes they go from one church

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 to another church to another church,

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 and they always have a beef

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 with whoever's in charge.

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 And the issue is not actually

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 about whoever's in charge.

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 The issue is with the Lord.

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 And if that's you,

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 if you acknowledge that

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 you tend to be discontented

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 and fault-finding

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 and bitter

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 toward your spiritual leaders

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 or toward your spouse

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 or toward your boss,

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 whoever they may be,

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 the question is,

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 is there really an issue

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 between you and God?

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 And you need to deal with that with God.

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 You need to acknowledge what the issue is,

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 and you also need to acknowledge

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 that you have no right

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 to hold on to a beef with God.

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 You did not create the universe,

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 and you do not hold it together.

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 And you don't have the right

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 to carry around your beef with God

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 and spew it out on everyone else

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 who represents God's authority

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 over you

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 or who comes close

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 to love you.

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 But you know what?

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 There's good news.

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 Look at how God responds

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 to the people's grumbling.

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 He doesn't pay them back

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 as they deserve.

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 The good news is that

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 in Jesus Christ,

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 you have a heavenly father.

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 Not just a boss,

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 not just an authority figure

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 way up there.

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 You have a heavenly father

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 in Jesus Christ.

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 And he knows your needs.

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 And he hears your grumbling.

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 And he loves you anyway.

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 Like a parent loves their kid

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 no matter how many times

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 they grumble.

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 You just can't stop loving them.

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 And God is committed to you.

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 And you can approach,

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 he says,

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 that through his son,

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 Jesus Christ,

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 you can approach

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 his throne of grace

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 and you can ask him

00:19:12.580 --> 00:19:15.040
 and help in your time of need.

00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:17.420
 Not because you deserve it,

00:19:18.100 --> 00:19:20.440
 but because he's merciful

00:19:20.440 --> 00:19:20.980
 and gracious.

00:19:22.060 --> 00:19:22.680
 And Jesus says,

00:19:22.779 --> 00:19:23.620
 if you ask your father

00:19:23.620 --> 00:19:24.560
 in heaven for bread,

00:19:24.680 --> 00:19:25.980
 he won't give you a stone.

00:19:29.400 --> 00:19:30.540
 Isn't that what we see here

00:19:30.540 --> 00:19:31.100
 with the Israelites?

00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:32.700
 We see not just the people's

00:19:32.700 --> 00:19:33.500
 sinful grumbling,

00:19:33.620 --> 00:19:34.840
 we also see the Lord's

00:19:34.840 --> 00:19:36.660
 sustaining and gracious provision.

00:19:36.660 --> 00:19:39.380
 That's the second half

00:19:39.380 --> 00:19:40.100
 of this passage.

00:19:42.620 --> 00:19:43.160
 I mean,

00:19:43.180 --> 00:19:43.880
 the amazing thing

00:19:43.880 --> 00:19:45.100
 about this episode

00:19:45.100 --> 00:19:46.019
 and really the whole

00:19:46.019 --> 00:19:46.660
 wilderness experience

00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:48.360
 is God doesn't give

00:19:48.360 --> 00:19:49.620
 the people what they deserve.

00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:53.860
 He doesn't repay them

00:19:53.860 --> 00:19:54.560
 tit for tat.

00:19:55.360 --> 00:19:56.300
 He doesn't say,

00:19:56.440 --> 00:19:56.800
 okay,

00:19:57.100 --> 00:19:59.160
 you're complaining against me,

00:19:59.220 --> 00:20:00.000
 I'll leave you alone.

00:20:00.120 --> 00:20:01.000
 You fend for yourself

00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:02.340
 and you see how that turns out.

00:20:02.339 --> 00:20:03.179
 No,

00:20:05.459 --> 00:20:05.899
 he doesn't.

00:20:06.379 --> 00:20:07.220
 He doesn't say,

00:20:07.619 --> 00:20:07.859
 okay,

00:20:07.939 --> 00:20:09.439
 I'll give you starvation rations.

00:20:09.619 --> 00:20:11.079
 I'll keep you barely alive,

00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:14.699
 but I'll give you

00:20:14.699 --> 00:20:15.419
 half-rotten,

00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:16.599
 low-quality food.

00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:20.299
 Fit for grumblers.

00:20:21.139 --> 00:20:21.539
 No.

00:20:23.559 --> 00:20:24.419
 Look at what he does.

00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:25.019
 Verse 13,

00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:25.539
 in the evening,

00:20:25.659 --> 00:20:26.419
 quail came up

00:20:26.419 --> 00:20:27.259
 and covered the camp.

00:20:27.559 --> 00:20:28.240
 And in the morning,

00:20:28.379 --> 00:20:29.459
 dew lay around the camp.

00:20:29.500 --> 00:20:30.599
 And when the dew had gone up,

00:20:30.659 --> 00:20:31.379
 there was on the face

00:20:31.379 --> 00:20:31.980
 of the wilderness

00:20:31.980 --> 00:20:33.620
 a fine flake-like thing,

00:20:34.039 --> 00:20:35.640
 fine as frost on the ground.

00:20:36.140 --> 00:20:37.240
 When the people of Israel

00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:37.720
 saw it,

00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:39.259
 they said to one another,

00:20:39.360 --> 00:20:40.059
 what is it?

00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:41.660
 For they did not know

00:20:41.660 --> 00:20:42.279
 what it was.

00:20:42.620 --> 00:20:43.680
 And Moses said to them,

00:20:43.740 --> 00:20:44.660
 it is the bread

00:20:44.660 --> 00:20:45.819
 that the Lord

00:20:45.819 --> 00:20:47.360
 has given you

00:20:47.360 --> 00:20:48.360
 to eat.

00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:52.140
 So they got quail

00:20:52.140 --> 00:20:52.819
 in the evening.

00:20:53.339 --> 00:20:54.099
 Quail was considered

00:20:54.099 --> 00:20:54.880
 a delicacy

00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:55.940
 in ancient Egypt.

00:20:57.120 --> 00:20:57.839
 Every spring,

00:20:57.920 --> 00:20:59.620
 the quail would fly north

00:20:59.620 --> 00:21:00.539
 from Egypt

00:21:00.539 --> 00:21:01.660
 to the Sinai Peninsula.

00:21:01.660 --> 00:21:02.220
 Sometimes,

00:21:02.580 --> 00:21:03.620
 because of flying

00:21:03.620 --> 00:21:04.460
 such a long way

00:21:04.460 --> 00:21:05.500
 and because of the wind currents,

00:21:05.560 --> 00:21:06.660
 they'd flop on the ground.

00:21:06.759 --> 00:21:07.920
 They'd be all over the place.

00:21:08.100 --> 00:21:08.860
 And it seems like

00:21:08.860 --> 00:21:09.860
 the Lord providentially

00:21:09.860 --> 00:21:10.700
 arranged that

00:21:10.700 --> 00:21:12.680
 and to provide

00:21:12.680 --> 00:21:13.440
 a filling meal

00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:14.160
 for the Israelites

00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:15.300
 that very evening.

00:21:17.500 --> 00:21:18.240
 But the quail

00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:18.940
 isn't the main point

00:21:18.940 --> 00:21:19.420
 of the story.

00:21:19.540 --> 00:21:20.740
 That didn't happen every day.

00:21:20.820 --> 00:21:21.279
 It seemed to be

00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:22.440
 just an occasional thing.

00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:24.240
 The main point

00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:25.880
 or the main provision here

00:21:25.880 --> 00:21:27.600
 is the miraculous manna.

00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:29.719
 the bread from heaven

00:21:29.719 --> 00:21:31.740
 that came every morning.

00:21:33.539 --> 00:21:34.259
 And this bread

00:21:34.259 --> 00:21:35.219
 wasn't low quality.

00:21:35.399 --> 00:21:36.000
 It wasn't just

00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:36.639
 the cheap stuff.

00:21:36.699 --> 00:21:37.219
 It says it was

00:21:37.219 --> 00:21:38.859
 a fine flake-like thing

00:21:38.859 --> 00:21:40.439
 as fine as frost

00:21:40.439 --> 00:21:40.959
 on the ground.

00:21:41.059 --> 00:21:41.879
 Verse 31 says

00:21:41.879 --> 00:21:43.139
 it tasted like wafers

00:21:43.139 --> 00:21:44.139
 made with honey.

00:21:44.879 --> 00:21:45.099
 Now,

00:21:45.159 --> 00:21:46.359
 I have never made wafers,

00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:48.740
 but I'm told

00:21:48.740 --> 00:21:50.619
 that they take

00:21:50.619 --> 00:21:51.619
 a lot of time to make.

00:21:51.719 --> 00:21:52.199
 And so people

00:21:52.199 --> 00:21:52.899
 didn't make them

00:21:52.899 --> 00:21:53.500
 back then

00:21:53.500 --> 00:21:54.700
 because they were

00:21:54.700 --> 00:21:55.720
 sort of like a delicacy.

00:21:55.799 --> 00:21:56.380
 You'd only get them

00:21:56.380 --> 00:21:57.160
 in the king's court.

00:21:58.779 --> 00:22:00.380
 You just would make

00:22:00.380 --> 00:22:01.160
 ordinary bread.

00:22:03.660 --> 00:22:04.400
 But here God

00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:05.099
 gives them wafers

00:22:05.099 --> 00:22:06.279
 that taste like honey.

00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:07.500
 Now, honey,

00:22:08.140 --> 00:22:09.019
 there were no beekeepers

00:22:09.019 --> 00:22:09.599
 back then.

00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:11.980
 You had to go

00:22:11.980 --> 00:22:12.460
 into the wild

00:22:12.460 --> 00:22:13.000
 to get honey.

00:22:13.420 --> 00:22:14.000
 You were lucky

00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:14.799
 if you found honey.

00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:16.420
 Honey was, again,

00:22:17.819 --> 00:22:20.180
 sort of a special

00:22:20.180 --> 00:22:20.759
 kind of food.

00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:21.839
 And so God says to them,

00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:23.019
 you know,

00:22:23.199 --> 00:22:24.679
 if back then

00:22:24.679 --> 00:22:25.039
 they heard

00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:25.679
 that it tasted

00:22:25.679 --> 00:22:26.319
 like wafers

00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:26.939
 made with honey,

00:22:27.939 --> 00:22:28.399
 people would say,

00:22:28.500 --> 00:22:28.659
 ooh,

00:22:28.919 --> 00:22:29.759
 that's delicious.

00:22:30.779 --> 00:22:30.980
 Mmm.

00:22:32.779 --> 00:22:33.480
 That's good.

00:22:37.619 --> 00:22:38.639
 It was miraculous

00:22:38.639 --> 00:22:39.559
 and providential.

00:22:39.659 --> 00:22:40.240
 It was tasty

00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:40.799
 and nutritious

00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:41.679
 and it was sufficient

00:22:41.679 --> 00:22:42.319
 and sustaining.

00:22:42.419 --> 00:22:43.099
 Now, I want to focus

00:22:43.099 --> 00:22:44.399
 on three aspects

00:22:44.399 --> 00:22:45.519
 of the sufficiency

00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:47.000
 of God's provision

00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:48.279
 for the rest

00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:48.699
 of our time

00:22:48.699 --> 00:22:49.099
 this morning.

00:22:50.899 --> 00:22:51.299
 First,

00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:53.179
 there was enough

00:22:53.179 --> 00:22:53.859
 for every one.

00:22:55.799 --> 00:22:56.559
 Verse 16,

00:22:56.619 --> 00:22:57.259
 this is what the Lord

00:22:57.259 --> 00:22:57.759
 has commanded.

00:22:58.399 --> 00:22:58.959
 Gather of it,

00:22:59.019 --> 00:22:59.599
 each one of you,

00:22:59.659 --> 00:23:00.519
 as much as he can eat.

00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:01.299
 You shall each take

00:23:01.299 --> 00:23:01.699
 an omer,

00:23:02.099 --> 00:23:03.259
 that's about a half gallon,

00:23:03.779 --> 00:23:04.659
 according to the number

00:23:04.659 --> 00:23:05.299
 of the persons

00:23:05.299 --> 00:23:05.899
 that each of you

00:23:05.899 --> 00:23:06.819
 has in his tent.

00:23:07.679 --> 00:23:08.179
 And the people

00:23:08.179 --> 00:23:09.059
 of Israel did so.

00:23:09.139 --> 00:23:09.579
 They gathered

00:23:09.579 --> 00:23:10.039
 some more,

00:23:10.139 --> 00:23:10.599
 some less.

00:23:10.959 --> 00:23:11.699
 But when they measured

00:23:11.699 --> 00:23:12.480
 it with an omer,

00:23:12.619 --> 00:23:13.539
 whoever gathered much

00:23:13.539 --> 00:23:14.639
 had nothing left over

00:23:14.639 --> 00:23:15.899
 and whoever gathered

00:23:15.899 --> 00:23:17.059
 little had no lack.

00:23:17.379 --> 00:23:18.159
 Each of them gathered

00:23:18.159 --> 00:23:19.519
 as much as he could eat.

00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:22.819
 Now, there's two things

00:23:22.819 --> 00:23:23.359
 that are clear.

00:23:24.680 --> 00:23:25.519
 One is,

00:23:25.740 --> 00:23:26.660
 some gathered more

00:23:26.660 --> 00:23:27.139
 than others.

00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:29.740
 The second thing is,

00:23:30.180 --> 00:23:30.879
 in the end,

00:23:31.400 --> 00:23:32.680
 everyone had just enough.

00:23:34.599 --> 00:23:36.139
 What it doesn't explain

00:23:36.139 --> 00:23:36.740
 is,

00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:38.480
 how did that happen?

00:23:40.259 --> 00:23:41.319
 Some gathered more

00:23:41.319 --> 00:23:41.779
 than others,

00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:43.000
 but in the end,

00:23:43.079 --> 00:23:43.980
 everyone had just enough.

00:23:43.980 --> 00:23:47.259
 Now, it's possible

00:23:47.259 --> 00:23:48.700
 that God directly

00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:50.180
 ensured that

00:23:50.180 --> 00:23:50.980
 no matter how much

00:23:50.980 --> 00:23:51.380
 you gather,

00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:51.980
 when you put it

00:23:51.980 --> 00:23:53.339
 in the measuring vessel,

00:23:53.579 --> 00:23:54.680
 it comes out

00:23:54.680 --> 00:23:56.000
 to exactly half a gallon.

00:23:58.740 --> 00:23:59.980
 But it's also possible

00:23:59.980 --> 00:24:01.759
 that the people

00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:02.440
 had a hand

00:24:02.440 --> 00:24:03.480
 in sharing

00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:04.380
 with one another.

00:24:05.980 --> 00:24:06.980
 Verse 16 says,

00:24:07.059 --> 00:24:07.620
 take an omer

00:24:07.620 --> 00:24:08.740
 according to the number

00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:09.420
 of the persons

00:24:09.420 --> 00:24:10.140
 that each of you

00:24:10.140 --> 00:24:11.019
 has in his tent.

00:24:11.019 --> 00:24:13.319
 In other words,

00:24:13.379 --> 00:24:14.019
 each tent

00:24:14.019 --> 00:24:14.819
 that would be like

00:24:14.819 --> 00:24:15.799
 an extended family

00:24:15.799 --> 00:24:17.000
 or perhaps even

00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:17.960
 a larger clan

00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:19.099
 was responsible

00:24:19.099 --> 00:24:19.759
 to see

00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:20.619
 that everyone

00:24:20.619 --> 00:24:21.279
 in the tent

00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:22.079
 got fed.

00:24:23.539 --> 00:24:23.879
 And so,

00:24:23.940 --> 00:24:24.220
 if there were

00:24:24.220 --> 00:24:25.000
 young children,

00:24:25.539 --> 00:24:27.139
 they might not

00:24:27.139 --> 00:24:27.879
 gather as much

00:24:27.879 --> 00:24:28.319
 and they also

00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:29.200
 might not eat as much.

00:24:29.259 --> 00:24:29.539
 If there were

00:24:29.539 --> 00:24:30.339
 elderly people

00:24:30.339 --> 00:24:31.720
 who had trouble

00:24:31.720 --> 00:24:32.519
 getting around,

00:24:33.319 --> 00:24:33.599
 right,

00:24:33.639 --> 00:24:34.160
 they might not

00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:34.960
 gather so much.

00:24:37.480 --> 00:24:38.720
 Able-bodied people

00:24:38.720 --> 00:24:39.559
 might gather more.

00:24:39.559 --> 00:24:42.139
 But within the tent,

00:24:42.980 --> 00:24:43.980
 they all find

00:24:43.980 --> 00:24:44.559
 a way to share.

00:24:46.200 --> 00:24:46.779
 Now,

00:24:46.819 --> 00:24:47.279
 it doesn't say

00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:47.799
 that here,

00:24:48.399 --> 00:24:49.720
 but the Apostle Paul

00:24:49.720 --> 00:24:51.139
 quotes verse 18

00:24:51.139 --> 00:24:52.639
 in a very interesting

00:24:52.639 --> 00:24:53.319
 context

00:24:53.319 --> 00:24:54.480
 that goes along

00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:54.839
 with that.

00:24:57.980 --> 00:24:58.960
 He quotes it

00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:00.079
 in 2 Corinthians 8

00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:01.339
 verse 14.

00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:04.220
 And it's a chapter

00:25:04.220 --> 00:25:04.759
 where Paul

00:25:04.759 --> 00:25:05.379
 is encouraging

00:25:05.379 --> 00:25:05.839
 Christians

00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:06.819
 who have an abundance

00:25:06.819 --> 00:25:08.099
 to share with

00:25:08.099 --> 00:25:08.460
 Christians

00:25:08.460 --> 00:25:09.840
 who have a need.

00:25:10.539 --> 00:25:11.120
 So he says,

00:25:11.180 --> 00:25:11.680
 your abundance

00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:12.539
 at the present time

00:25:12.539 --> 00:25:13.000
 should supply

00:25:13.000 --> 00:25:13.740
 their need

00:25:13.740 --> 00:25:15.120
 so that their

00:25:15.120 --> 00:25:15.500
 abundance

00:25:15.500 --> 00:25:16.019
 may supply

00:25:16.019 --> 00:25:16.559
 your need,

00:25:17.120 --> 00:25:18.180
 that there may be

00:25:18.180 --> 00:25:18.799
 fairness

00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:20.279
 or equality.

00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:21.980
 As it is written,

00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:23.279
 whoever gathered

00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:24.019
 much had nothing

00:25:24.019 --> 00:25:24.640
 left over

00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:25.819
 and whoever gathered

00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:27.120
 little had no lack.

00:25:28.539 --> 00:25:29.059
 Paul says,

00:25:29.140 --> 00:25:29.920
 just like with

00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:30.539
 the manna,

00:25:30.860 --> 00:25:32.740
 some gather

00:25:32.740 --> 00:25:33.420
 more than others

00:25:33.420 --> 00:25:34.039
 but in the end

00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:34.680
 everyone gets

00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:35.440
 just enough

00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:36.420
 within the tent.

00:25:36.420 --> 00:25:38.580
 that's how

00:25:38.580 --> 00:25:39.259
 God's grace

00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:39.740
 is supposed

00:25:39.740 --> 00:25:40.320
 to work

00:25:40.320 --> 00:25:42.000
 within the church.

00:25:44.940 --> 00:25:45.740
 When God

00:25:45.740 --> 00:25:46.240
 blesses you

00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:46.900
 with abundance,

00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:49.080
 share generously

00:25:49.080 --> 00:25:50.240
 with your brothers

00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:50.700
 and sisters

00:25:50.700 --> 00:25:51.320
 in Christ.

00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:52.480
 Maybe that's

00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:53.320
 financial abundance.

00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:54.300
 Maybe that's

00:25:54.300 --> 00:25:54.900
 a house

00:25:54.900 --> 00:25:55.440
 that you can

00:25:55.440 --> 00:25:56.259
 welcome someone

00:25:56.259 --> 00:25:56.580
 into.

00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:57.560
 Maybe that's

00:25:57.560 --> 00:25:58.960
 relational abundance

00:25:58.960 --> 00:25:59.460
 that you can

00:25:59.460 --> 00:26:00.779
 help people

00:26:00.779 --> 00:26:01.800
 who are alone

00:26:01.800 --> 00:26:02.259
 or lonely

00:26:02.259 --> 00:26:03.320
 make connections.

00:26:03.319 --> 00:26:04.279
 Maybe it's

00:26:04.279 --> 00:26:05.819
 spiritual growth

00:26:05.819 --> 00:26:06.259
 and things

00:26:06.259 --> 00:26:06.539
 that you're

00:26:06.539 --> 00:26:06.960
 learning

00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:07.619
 that you can

00:26:07.619 --> 00:26:08.519
 teach to others.

00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:12.700
 On the other

00:26:12.700 --> 00:26:12.899
 hand,

00:26:12.919 --> 00:26:13.339
 if you find

00:26:13.339 --> 00:26:13.799
 yourself in

00:26:13.799 --> 00:26:14.240
 need,

00:26:15.559 --> 00:26:16.539
 gather what

00:26:16.539 --> 00:26:17.000
 you can.

00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:17.919
 Everybody has

00:26:17.919 --> 00:26:18.599
 a part to do.

00:26:19.419 --> 00:26:19.919
 Nobody just

00:26:19.919 --> 00:26:20.439
 sat around

00:26:20.439 --> 00:26:21.019
 and did

00:26:21.019 --> 00:26:21.339
 nothing.

00:26:24.119 --> 00:26:24.779
 But look

00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:25.259
 to your brothers

00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:25.679
 and sisters

00:26:25.679 --> 00:26:26.099
 in Christ

00:26:26.099 --> 00:26:26.639
 for help.

00:26:28.879 --> 00:26:29.460
 And this

00:26:29.460 --> 00:26:29.819
 should happen

00:26:29.819 --> 00:26:30.519
 on all kinds

00:26:30.519 --> 00:26:30.879
 of levels.

00:26:31.000 --> 00:26:31.379
 It should happen

00:26:31.379 --> 00:26:32.079
 within Christian

00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:32.679
 families.

00:26:33.319 --> 00:26:34.220
 From one

00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:34.700
 brother or

00:26:34.700 --> 00:26:35.079
 sister to

00:26:35.079 --> 00:26:35.480
 another,

00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:36.960
 within local

00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:37.379
 churches,

00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:39.500
 between local

00:26:39.500 --> 00:26:39.859
 churches,

00:26:39.960 --> 00:26:40.519
 and even

00:26:40.519 --> 00:26:41.220
 between churches

00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:41.659
 in different

00:26:41.659 --> 00:26:42.139
 parts of the

00:26:42.139 --> 00:26:42.379
 world.

00:26:42.439 --> 00:26:42.799
 Because that's

00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:43.279
 what Paul is

00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:43.819
 talking about

00:26:43.819 --> 00:26:44.480
 in 2 Corinthians

00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:44.839
 8,

00:26:45.639 --> 00:26:46.639
 is one church

00:26:46.639 --> 00:26:47.139
 in one part

00:26:47.139 --> 00:26:47.679
 of the world

00:26:47.679 --> 00:26:49.519
 that has an

00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:50.220
 abundance helps

00:26:50.220 --> 00:26:50.799
 another church

00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:51.399
 in another part

00:26:51.399 --> 00:26:51.700
 of the world

00:26:51.700 --> 00:26:52.119
 that has a

00:26:52.119 --> 00:26:52.419
 lack.

00:26:54.899 --> 00:26:58.099
 And there's

00:26:58.099 --> 00:26:58.559
 an exchange

00:26:58.559 --> 00:26:59.000
 back and

00:26:59.000 --> 00:27:00.319
 forth of both

00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:01.000
 financial and

00:27:01.000 --> 00:27:02.179
 spiritual blessings

00:27:02.179 --> 00:27:03.079
 and care.

00:27:03.319 --> 00:27:05.799
 many years

00:27:05.799 --> 00:27:06.179
 ago this

00:27:06.179 --> 00:27:06.659
 church fell

00:27:06.659 --> 00:27:07.039
 on hard

00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:07.460
 times.

00:27:09.559 --> 00:27:09.960
 At that

00:27:09.960 --> 00:27:10.299
 time we

00:27:10.299 --> 00:27:10.819
 barely had

00:27:10.819 --> 00:27:11.259
 enough money

00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:11.700
 to pay our

00:27:11.700 --> 00:27:12.799
 pastor and

00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:13.200
 to pay the

00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:13.659
 rent on the

00:27:13.659 --> 00:27:14.099
 building that

00:27:14.099 --> 00:27:14.379
 we were

00:27:14.379 --> 00:27:14.639
 renting.

00:27:14.779 --> 00:27:15.079
 We weren't

00:27:15.079 --> 00:27:15.359
 here.

00:27:15.619 --> 00:27:15.879
 We didn't

00:27:15.879 --> 00:27:16.179
 own a

00:27:16.179 --> 00:27:16.419
 building.

00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:19.220
 And another

00:27:19.220 --> 00:27:19.799
 church from a

00:27:19.799 --> 00:27:20.179
 different part

00:27:20.179 --> 00:27:20.700
 of the country

00:27:20.700 --> 00:27:21.740
 helped us.

00:27:22.980 --> 00:27:23.839
 They sent us

00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:24.480
 several thousand

00:27:24.480 --> 00:27:25.579
 dollars each

00:27:25.579 --> 00:27:26.119
 year for two

00:27:26.119 --> 00:27:27.579
 years to help

00:27:27.579 --> 00:27:28.000
 us get our

00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.359
 feet on the

00:27:28.359 --> 00:27:28.659
 ground.

00:27:28.660 --> 00:27:28.720
 world.

00:27:30.500 --> 00:27:30.779
 Now that

00:27:30.779 --> 00:27:31.259
 was so long

00:27:31.259 --> 00:27:31.720
 ago that

00:27:31.720 --> 00:27:32.279
 hardly any of

00:27:32.279 --> 00:27:34.820
 us were here.

00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:36.080
 There's a few

00:27:36.080 --> 00:27:36.480
 people who are

00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:36.980
 here who can

00:27:36.980 --> 00:27:37.480
 probably remember

00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:37.740
 that.

00:27:40.340 --> 00:27:41.160
 But thank God

00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:41.779
 for that church

00:27:41.779 --> 00:27:44.220
 from far away

00:27:44.220 --> 00:27:45.860
 who knew about

00:27:45.860 --> 00:27:47.060
 our need and

00:27:47.060 --> 00:27:47.620
 helped us.

00:27:49.380 --> 00:27:50.160
 And thank God

00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:50.680
 that we're now

00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:51.240
 in a place where

00:27:51.240 --> 00:27:51.740
 we can be

00:27:51.740 --> 00:27:52.220
 generous.

00:27:52.220 --> 00:27:55.759
 last year we

00:27:55.759 --> 00:27:56.799
 gave 20% of

00:27:56.799 --> 00:27:57.240
 our annual

00:27:57.240 --> 00:27:57.799
 church budget

00:27:57.799 --> 00:27:58.500
 to local and

00:27:58.500 --> 00:27:59.299
 global missions

00:27:59.299 --> 00:28:01.319
 including two

00:28:01.319 --> 00:28:02.120
 church plants

00:28:02.120 --> 00:28:03.839
 Shoreline in

00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:04.559
 New London and

00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:05.299
 the Ethiopian and

00:28:05.299 --> 00:28:06.120
 Eritrean ministry

00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:07.079
 that meets right

00:28:07.079 --> 00:28:07.360
 here.

00:28:09.059 --> 00:28:09.579
 And God has

00:28:09.579 --> 00:28:10.279
 blessed us as a

00:28:10.279 --> 00:28:10.799
 church in many

00:28:10.799 --> 00:28:11.440
 ways so that we

00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:13.259
 can help others

00:28:13.259 --> 00:28:14.660
 get on their

00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:15.680
 feet and grow

00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:16.600
 and be strong.

00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:20.360
 I don't know

00:28:20.360 --> 00:28:20.819
 what that looks

00:28:20.819 --> 00:28:21.400
 like for you.

00:28:22.220 --> 00:28:22.440
 Right?

00:28:22.500 --> 00:28:22.900
 We need to be

00:28:22.900 --> 00:28:23.339
 doing that for

00:28:23.339 --> 00:28:24.079
 one another here

00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:24.519
 as well.

00:28:27.220 --> 00:28:27.620
 Right?

00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:28.200
 Maybe you have a

00:28:28.200 --> 00:28:28.819
 financial need.

00:28:28.860 --> 00:28:29.180
 We have a

00:28:29.180 --> 00:28:29.480
 deacon's

00:28:29.480 --> 00:28:30.100
 benevolence fund

00:28:30.100 --> 00:28:30.400
 where the

00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:30.940
 deacons try to

00:28:30.940 --> 00:28:31.740
 use discernment

00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:33.779
 to help people

00:28:33.779 --> 00:28:34.700
 with needs as

00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:35.319
 best we can.

00:28:37.019 --> 00:28:37.819
 And to see that

00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:38.519
 everybody's doing

00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:40.339
 their part and

00:28:40.339 --> 00:28:40.660
 doing their

00:28:40.660 --> 00:28:41.299
 responsibility.

00:28:45.600 --> 00:28:46.140
 Paul said

00:28:46.140 --> 00:28:47.519
 there was enough

00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:47.960
 for everyone.

00:28:48.519 --> 00:28:50.100
 Second, there was

00:28:50.100 --> 00:28:51.160
 also enough for

00:28:51.160 --> 00:28:51.740
 every day.

00:28:52.220 --> 00:28:54.500
 verse 19,

00:28:54.600 --> 00:28:55.140
 Moses said to

00:28:55.140 --> 00:28:55.299
 them,

00:28:55.400 --> 00:28:55.900
 let no one

00:28:55.900 --> 00:28:56.559
 leave any of

00:28:56.559 --> 00:28:57.259
 it over till

00:28:57.259 --> 00:28:57.720
 the morning.

00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:00.539
 Now this was

00:29:00.539 --> 00:29:01.160
 in some ways

00:29:01.160 --> 00:29:02.120
 the first test.

00:29:03.799 --> 00:29:04.460
 If you look

00:29:04.460 --> 00:29:04.980
 back at verse

00:29:04.980 --> 00:29:06.339
 four, God

00:29:06.339 --> 00:29:06.880
 had said,

00:29:07.380 --> 00:29:07.880
 the people need

00:29:07.880 --> 00:29:08.539
 to gather one

00:29:08.539 --> 00:29:09.120
 day's portion

00:29:09.120 --> 00:29:10.360
 every day that

00:29:10.360 --> 00:29:11.000
 I may test

00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:12.019
 them whether

00:29:12.019 --> 00:29:12.720
 they will walk

00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:13.759
 in my law or

00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:14.200
 not.

00:29:14.200 --> 00:29:18.680
 God did not

00:29:18.680 --> 00:29:20.380
 explain every

00:29:20.380 --> 00:29:21.400
 detail of his

00:29:21.400 --> 00:29:22.559
 plan for the

00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:23.340
 Israelites in

00:29:23.340 --> 00:29:23.940
 advance.

00:29:25.100 --> 00:29:25.680
 He did not

00:29:25.680 --> 00:29:26.380
 lay out their

00:29:26.380 --> 00:29:27.660
 entire itinerary

00:29:27.660 --> 00:29:28.299
 through the

00:29:28.299 --> 00:29:30.200
 wilderness and

00:29:30.200 --> 00:29:30.779
 then say to

00:29:30.779 --> 00:29:32.420
 them, here's

00:29:32.420 --> 00:29:33.140
 all my reasons

00:29:33.140 --> 00:29:33.779
 for doing all

00:29:33.779 --> 00:29:34.380
 these things,

00:29:34.380 --> 00:29:35.140
 do you accept?

00:29:35.140 --> 00:29:38.120
 No.

00:29:39.660 --> 00:29:40.880
 He was teaching

00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:41.560
 the people to

00:29:41.560 --> 00:29:43.020
 trust him one

00:29:43.020 --> 00:29:44.500
 day at a

00:29:44.500 --> 00:29:44.900
 time.

00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:47.740
 Because trusting

00:29:47.740 --> 00:29:48.680
 God doesn't just

00:29:48.680 --> 00:29:49.300
 mean following

00:29:49.300 --> 00:29:49.800
 him when you

00:29:49.800 --> 00:29:50.540
 understand all

00:29:50.540 --> 00:29:51.259
 his reasons and

00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:52.000
 can see all of

00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:52.600
 his ways.

00:29:53.060 --> 00:29:53.640
 Trusting God

00:29:53.640 --> 00:29:54.259
 means trusting

00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:56.540
 him when you're

00:29:56.540 --> 00:29:58.500
 afraid and when

00:29:58.500 --> 00:29:59.340
 you feel desperate

00:29:59.339 --> 00:30:00.619
 and when you

00:30:00.619 --> 00:30:01.279
 feel tempted.

00:30:04.179 --> 00:30:05.179
 As a parent, I

00:30:05.179 --> 00:30:05.839
 have to teach my

00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:06.779
 kids to trust me

00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:08.159
 even when I

00:30:08.159 --> 00:30:09.139
 can't explain all

00:30:09.139 --> 00:30:09.879
 my reasons to

00:30:09.879 --> 00:30:10.159
 them.

00:30:13.980 --> 00:30:14.879
 To trust me

00:30:14.879 --> 00:30:15.539
 because I love

00:30:15.539 --> 00:30:16.059
 them and at

00:30:16.059 --> 00:30:16.659
 least for now,

00:30:16.779 --> 00:30:17.500
 I'm wiser than

00:30:17.500 --> 00:30:17.759
 them.

00:30:20.759 --> 00:30:21.579
 And how much

00:30:21.579 --> 00:30:22.139
 more so with

00:30:22.139 --> 00:30:22.419
 God?

00:30:24.139 --> 00:30:25.240
 He is our

00:30:25.240 --> 00:30:26.139
 ultimate provider.

00:30:28.179 --> 00:30:28.899
 He doesn't

00:30:28.899 --> 00:30:29.319
 always give us

00:30:29.319 --> 00:30:29.960
 what we want.

00:30:31.159 --> 00:30:32.000
 He won't always

00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:32.559
 give you what you

00:30:32.559 --> 00:30:34.659
 expect, but he

00:30:34.659 --> 00:30:35.539
 will always provide

00:30:35.539 --> 00:30:36.159
 what we need.

00:30:39.439 --> 00:30:40.159
 That's one of the

00:30:40.159 --> 00:30:40.759
 lessons the Lord

00:30:40.759 --> 00:30:41.799
 was drilling into

00:30:41.799 --> 00:30:42.359
 the head of his

00:30:42.359 --> 00:30:43.279
 people over and

00:30:43.279 --> 00:30:43.519
 over.

00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:44.399
 For 40 years,

00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:44.919
 they ate the

00:30:44.919 --> 00:30:46.139
 manna until they

00:30:46.139 --> 00:30:46.639
 came to the

00:30:46.639 --> 00:30:47.359
 promised land.

00:30:49.899 --> 00:30:50.659
 At the end of

00:30:50.659 --> 00:30:51.079
 their journey

00:30:51.079 --> 00:30:51.579
 across the

00:30:51.579 --> 00:30:51.859
 wilderness,

00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:52.559
 Moses said,

00:30:52.679 --> 00:30:54.000
 remember the

00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:54.740
 whole way the

00:30:54.740 --> 00:30:55.379
 Lord your God

00:30:55.379 --> 00:30:55.819
 has led you

00:30:55.819 --> 00:30:56.939
 these 40 years.

00:30:56.940 --> 00:30:59.580
 that he might

00:30:59.580 --> 00:31:00.120
 humble you,

00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:00.860
 testing you to

00:31:00.860 --> 00:31:01.299
 know what was

00:31:01.299 --> 00:31:01.820
 in your heart.

00:31:02.340 --> 00:31:03.240
 He humbled you,

00:31:03.299 --> 00:31:04.019
 he let you hunger,

00:31:04.100 --> 00:31:04.759
 and he fed you

00:31:04.759 --> 00:31:05.360
 with manna,

00:31:05.580 --> 00:31:06.700
 that he might

00:31:06.700 --> 00:31:07.320
 make you know

00:31:07.320 --> 00:31:08.980
 that man does

00:31:08.980 --> 00:31:09.779
 not live by bread

00:31:09.779 --> 00:31:10.180
 alone,

00:31:10.180 --> 00:31:12.180
 but by every word

00:31:12.180 --> 00:31:13.240
 that comes from

00:31:13.240 --> 00:31:13.860
 the mouth of the

00:31:13.860 --> 00:31:14.140
 Lord.

00:31:14.140 --> 00:31:14.200
 Lord.

00:31:16.280 --> 00:31:17.160
 You see, every day

00:31:17.160 --> 00:31:17.780
 the manna was a

00:31:17.780 --> 00:31:18.200
 test.

00:31:20.200 --> 00:31:20.880
 Would the people

00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:22.620
 trust God or

00:31:22.620 --> 00:31:22.920
 not?

00:31:24.120 --> 00:31:24.700
 Every morning,

00:31:24.759 --> 00:31:25.120
 they had to get

00:31:25.120 --> 00:31:25.540
 out of bed.

00:31:28.860 --> 00:31:29.480
 Say, if you

00:31:29.480 --> 00:31:30.460
 wait till the

00:31:30.460 --> 00:31:31.520
 afternoon, if you

00:31:31.520 --> 00:31:31.900
 wait till the

00:31:31.900 --> 00:31:32.860
 sun is hot, the

00:31:32.860 --> 00:31:34.540
 manna melts, and

00:31:34.540 --> 00:31:34.920
 you're hungry.

00:31:37.060 --> 00:31:37.680
 God's teaching

00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:38.380
 them some

00:31:38.380 --> 00:31:39.040
 principles about

00:31:39.040 --> 00:31:39.980
 working diligently.

00:31:41.620 --> 00:31:42.320
 Get up out of

00:31:42.320 --> 00:31:42.660
 bed and do

00:31:42.660 --> 00:31:43.020
 something.

00:31:44.140 --> 00:31:46.360
 But every

00:31:46.360 --> 00:31:48.340
 night, God

00:31:48.340 --> 00:31:48.960
 wanted them also

00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:49.560
 to go to sleep

00:31:49.560 --> 00:31:51.480
 in peace and

00:31:51.480 --> 00:31:52.940
 trust that the

00:31:52.940 --> 00:31:54.120
 next morning, the

00:31:54.120 --> 00:31:54.580
 manna would be

00:31:54.580 --> 00:31:55.340
 there all over

00:31:55.340 --> 00:31:55.680
 again.

00:31:58.240 --> 00:31:59.000
 Now, of course,

00:31:59.060 --> 00:31:59.500
 the Israelites

00:31:59.500 --> 00:32:01.800
 didn't all, some

00:32:01.800 --> 00:32:03.440
 of them failed

00:32:03.440 --> 00:32:04.420
 this test, right?

00:32:04.820 --> 00:32:05.420
 Verse 20.

00:32:06.800 --> 00:32:07.600
 They did not

00:32:07.600 --> 00:32:08.320
 listen to Moses.

00:32:09.320 --> 00:32:10.120
 Some left part

00:32:10.120 --> 00:32:10.740
 of the manna till

00:32:10.740 --> 00:32:11.440
 the morning, and

00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:12.360
 it bred worms and

00:32:12.360 --> 00:32:12.759
 stank.

00:32:14.140 --> 00:32:21.140
 But you see,

00:32:21.220 --> 00:32:23.140
 every day, the

00:32:23.140 --> 00:32:23.660
 manna was a

00:32:23.660 --> 00:32:23.940
 sign.

00:32:25.040 --> 00:32:25.759
 God saying to

00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:27.040
 his people, you

00:32:27.040 --> 00:32:27.700
 can trust me.

00:32:28.980 --> 00:32:31.720
 I'm here again

00:32:31.720 --> 00:32:33.400
 and again and

00:32:33.400 --> 00:32:34.259
 again and

00:32:34.259 --> 00:32:34.540
 again.

00:32:35.340 --> 00:32:36.220
 I'm your father

00:32:36.220 --> 00:32:36.640
 in heaven.

00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:38.900
 I see you.

00:32:38.900 --> 00:32:40.740
 I'm providing

00:32:40.740 --> 00:32:41.259
 for you.

00:32:41.980 --> 00:32:42.700
 I haven't left

00:32:42.700 --> 00:32:43.759
 you, and I

00:32:43.759 --> 00:32:44.280
 won't forsake

00:32:44.280 --> 00:32:44.540
 you.

00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:46.460
 Now, what's the

00:32:46.460 --> 00:32:46.980
 lesson for us

00:32:46.980 --> 00:32:47.540
 here from this

00:32:47.540 --> 00:32:48.560
 daily provision

00:32:48.560 --> 00:32:49.200
 of manna?

00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:50.560
 Some people have

00:32:50.560 --> 00:32:51.380
 attempted to apply

00:32:51.380 --> 00:32:51.980
 this principle

00:32:51.980 --> 00:32:52.480
 directly.

00:32:54.220 --> 00:32:55.060
 They say,

00:32:56.060 --> 00:32:56.900
 I will trust

00:32:56.900 --> 00:32:57.900
 God day by

00:32:57.900 --> 00:32:58.300
 day.

00:32:59.980 --> 00:33:00.720
 Therefore, I

00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:01.519
 won't save.

00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:05.019
 whatever money I

00:33:05.019 --> 00:33:05.639
 get, I will

00:33:05.639 --> 00:33:07.099
 spend, maybe

00:33:07.099 --> 00:33:07.559
 give a little

00:33:07.559 --> 00:33:07.819
 bit.

00:33:09.900 --> 00:33:10.579
 I won't

00:33:10.579 --> 00:33:11.240
 bother planning

00:33:11.240 --> 00:33:11.839
 for the future

00:33:11.839 --> 00:33:13.839
 because God

00:33:13.839 --> 00:33:14.480
 provides for his

00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:15.039
 people day by

00:33:15.039 --> 00:33:15.359
 day.

00:33:17.599 --> 00:33:18.200
 Now, the

00:33:18.200 --> 00:33:18.879
 problem with that

00:33:18.879 --> 00:33:20.420
 attitude is that

00:33:20.420 --> 00:33:21.079
 you are not an

00:33:21.079 --> 00:33:22.200
 Israelite in the

00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:22.480
 wilderness.

00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:22.640
 wilderness.

00:33:24.700 --> 00:33:25.480
 The manna

00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:26.019
 happened for

00:33:26.019 --> 00:33:27.599
 40 years, and

00:33:27.599 --> 00:33:28.140
 then they got to

00:33:28.140 --> 00:33:28.880
 the promised land

00:33:28.880 --> 00:33:29.620
 and it stopped,

00:33:29.720 --> 00:33:30.380
 and it has never

00:33:30.380 --> 00:33:31.019
 started again.

00:33:32.559 --> 00:33:33.279
 And when they

00:33:33.279 --> 00:33:33.940
 got to the promised

00:33:33.940 --> 00:33:35.039
 land, they were

00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:35.839
 responsible to

00:33:35.839 --> 00:33:36.940
 cultivate the land

00:33:36.940 --> 00:33:38.440
 and to store up

00:33:38.440 --> 00:33:39.079
 their crops.

00:33:40.440 --> 00:33:41.180
 And in the book

00:33:41.180 --> 00:33:41.880
 of Proverbs, it

00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:43.980
 says, he who

00:33:43.980 --> 00:33:44.640
 gathers money

00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:45.360
 little by little

00:33:45.360 --> 00:33:46.180
 makes it grow.

00:33:47.380 --> 00:33:48.220
 It even says,

00:33:48.400 --> 00:33:48.660
 look at the

00:33:48.660 --> 00:33:49.039
 ants.

00:33:50.099 --> 00:33:51.940
 The ants store

00:33:51.940 --> 00:33:52.279
 up their

00:33:52.279 --> 00:33:52.859
 provisions in

00:33:52.859 --> 00:33:53.799
 the winter or

00:33:53.799 --> 00:33:54.339
 in the summer,

00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:54.879
 so they have

00:33:54.879 --> 00:33:55.399
 provisions in

00:33:55.399 --> 00:33:55.759
 the winter.

00:33:56.579 --> 00:33:57.339
 In the same

00:33:57.339 --> 00:33:58.920
 way, there's

00:33:58.920 --> 00:34:00.399
 wisdom in

00:34:00.399 --> 00:34:00.759
 saving.

00:34:02.139 --> 00:34:02.920
 So the lesson

00:34:02.920 --> 00:34:03.500
 here is not

00:34:03.500 --> 00:34:04.220
 don't save and

00:34:04.220 --> 00:34:04.779
 don't plan for

00:34:04.779 --> 00:34:05.180
 the future.

00:34:05.299 --> 00:34:06.259
 Sometimes we

00:34:06.259 --> 00:34:07.460
 don't plan for

00:34:07.460 --> 00:34:08.079
 the future because

00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:08.820
 we're too afraid

00:34:08.820 --> 00:34:11.699
 and we're trying

00:34:11.699 --> 00:34:13.279
 to avoid looking

00:34:13.279 --> 00:34:13.820
 into the future

00:34:13.820 --> 00:34:15.199
 because we're too

00:34:15.199 --> 00:34:15.779
 overwhelmed and

00:34:15.779 --> 00:34:16.099
 afraid.

00:34:17.340 --> 00:34:17.900
 And if that's

00:34:17.900 --> 00:34:18.360
 how you feel,

00:34:18.440 --> 00:34:20.619
 then that's where

00:34:20.619 --> 00:34:21.179
 you need to pray.

00:34:21.179 --> 00:34:22.799
 And that's

00:34:22.799 --> 00:34:23.079
 where you need

00:34:23.079 --> 00:34:23.519
 to find a

00:34:23.519 --> 00:34:23.879
 brother or

00:34:23.879 --> 00:34:24.219
 sister in

00:34:24.219 --> 00:34:24.619
 Christ and

00:34:24.619 --> 00:34:25.539
 say, I

00:34:25.539 --> 00:34:25.899
 need some

00:34:25.899 --> 00:34:26.219
 help.

00:34:27.259 --> 00:34:27.839
 I don't

00:34:27.839 --> 00:34:28.339
 just need

00:34:28.339 --> 00:34:29.500
 some money,

00:34:29.759 --> 00:34:30.239
 but I also

00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:32.159
 need someone

00:34:32.159 --> 00:34:32.679
 to help me

00:34:32.679 --> 00:34:33.179
 make a good

00:34:33.179 --> 00:34:34.159
 plan about

00:34:34.159 --> 00:34:34.679
 how I can

00:34:34.679 --> 00:34:35.259
 go forward.

00:34:37.940 --> 00:34:38.480
 So the

00:34:38.480 --> 00:34:38.940
 lesson of the

00:34:38.940 --> 00:34:40.339
 manna is

00:34:40.339 --> 00:34:41.059
 not that we

00:34:41.059 --> 00:34:41.679
 shouldn't plan,

00:34:41.839 --> 00:34:42.279
 it's not that

00:34:42.279 --> 00:34:42.619
 we shouldn't

00:34:42.619 --> 00:34:44.639
 save, but

00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:44.940
 that it's

00:34:44.940 --> 00:34:47.059
 every day to

00:34:47.059 --> 00:34:47.879
 depend on the

00:34:47.880 --> 00:34:48.700
 Lord and

00:34:48.700 --> 00:34:48.980
 to give

00:34:48.980 --> 00:34:49.400
 thanks to

00:34:49.400 --> 00:34:49.619
 him.

00:34:50.440 --> 00:34:50.880
 To wake

00:34:50.880 --> 00:34:51.200
 up every

00:34:51.200 --> 00:34:52.519
 morning and

00:34:52.519 --> 00:34:53.039
 pray like

00:34:53.039 --> 00:34:53.559
 Jesus taught

00:34:53.559 --> 00:34:53.960
 us to pray

00:34:53.960 --> 00:34:54.160
 in the

00:34:54.160 --> 00:34:54.460
 Lord's

00:34:54.460 --> 00:34:54.660
 prayer,

00:34:54.780 --> 00:34:55.360
 give us

00:34:55.360 --> 00:34:56.079
 each day

00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:57.980
 our daily

00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:58.539
 bread.

00:34:58.539 --> 00:34:58.679
 God.

00:35:02.880 --> 00:35:03.639
 You know, you

00:35:03.639 --> 00:35:04.559
 can't grow and

00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:05.900
 thrive by eating

00:35:05.900 --> 00:35:06.440
 spiritual

00:35:06.440 --> 00:35:08.579
 leftovers, by

00:35:08.579 --> 00:35:09.659
 relying on

00:35:09.659 --> 00:35:10.639
 yesterday's

00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:11.279
 spiritual

00:35:11.279 --> 00:35:11.739
 provision.

00:35:12.460 --> 00:35:13.219
 Every day we

00:35:13.219 --> 00:35:13.719
 need to wake

00:35:13.719 --> 00:35:16.000
 up and

00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:16.440
 commit our

00:35:16.440 --> 00:35:16.840
 day to the

00:35:16.840 --> 00:35:17.179
 Lord in

00:35:17.179 --> 00:35:17.420
 prayer.

00:35:17.820 --> 00:35:18.300
 And every

00:35:18.300 --> 00:35:18.779
 evening we

00:35:18.779 --> 00:35:20.340
 can lay

00:35:20.340 --> 00:35:22.099
 down and

00:35:22.099 --> 00:35:22.579
 say, thank

00:35:22.579 --> 00:35:23.019
 you, Lord.

00:35:23.019 --> 00:35:25.380
 As I go to

00:35:25.380 --> 00:35:25.800
 sleep, I

00:35:25.800 --> 00:35:26.440
 trust you,

00:35:26.820 --> 00:35:27.280
 because you're

00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:27.759
 the God who

00:35:27.759 --> 00:35:28.400
 neither slumbers

00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:28.980
 nor sleeps,

00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:29.440
 and you'll be

00:35:29.440 --> 00:35:29.960
 there for me

00:35:29.960 --> 00:35:30.179
 in the

00:35:30.179 --> 00:35:30.440
 morning.

00:35:33.980 --> 00:35:34.519
 There is

00:35:34.519 --> 00:35:34.860
 enough for

00:35:34.860 --> 00:35:35.639
 everyone, there's

00:35:35.639 --> 00:35:36.000
 enough for

00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:36.460
 every day.

00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:37.980
 Finally, verse

00:35:37.980 --> 00:35:39.539
 22 to 30 teach

00:35:39.539 --> 00:35:40.079
 us that there was

00:35:40.079 --> 00:35:40.960
 enough for every

00:35:40.960 --> 00:35:42.500
 Sabbath, every

00:35:42.500 --> 00:35:43.500
 day of rest.

00:35:46.460 --> 00:35:46.980
 On the

00:35:46.980 --> 00:35:47.519
 sixth day they

00:35:47.519 --> 00:35:48.280
 gathered twice as

00:35:48.280 --> 00:35:48.780
 much bread,

00:35:48.900 --> 00:35:49.739
 verse 22, two

00:35:49.739 --> 00:35:50.400
 omers each.

00:35:51.519 --> 00:35:52.019
 When all the

00:35:52.019 --> 00:35:52.460
 leaders of the

00:35:52.460 --> 00:35:52.820
 congregation

00:35:52.820 --> 00:35:53.519
 came and told

00:35:53.519 --> 00:35:54.200
 Moses, he said

00:35:54.200 --> 00:35:54.740
 to them, this is

00:35:54.740 --> 00:35:55.180
 what the Lord

00:35:55.180 --> 00:35:55.680
 has commanded,

00:35:56.140 --> 00:35:56.920
 tomorrow is a

00:35:56.920 --> 00:35:58.280
 day of solemn

00:35:58.280 --> 00:36:00.559
 rest, a holy

00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:01.220
 Sabbath to the

00:36:01.220 --> 00:36:01.420
 Lord.

00:36:01.519 --> 00:36:01.900
 Bake what you

00:36:01.900 --> 00:36:02.880
 will bake, and

00:36:02.880 --> 00:36:03.360
 boil what you

00:36:03.360 --> 00:36:04.440
 will boil, and

00:36:04.440 --> 00:36:04.920
 all that is

00:36:04.920 --> 00:36:05.539
 left over lay

00:36:05.539 --> 00:36:06.120
 aside to be

00:36:06.120 --> 00:36:06.640
 kept till the

00:36:06.640 --> 00:36:06.900
 morning.

00:36:06.980 --> 00:36:07.400
 So they lay

00:36:07.400 --> 00:36:07.980
 it aside till

00:36:07.980 --> 00:36:09.120
 the morning as

00:36:09.120 --> 00:36:09.740
 Moses commanded

00:36:09.740 --> 00:36:10.220
 them, and it

00:36:10.220 --> 00:36:11.680
 did not stink, and

00:36:11.680 --> 00:36:12.080
 there were no

00:36:12.080 --> 00:36:12.700
 worms in it.

00:36:12.880 --> 00:36:13.539
 Moses said, eat

00:36:13.539 --> 00:36:14.039
 it today.

00:36:15.019 --> 00:36:15.880
 For today is a

00:36:15.880 --> 00:36:16.400
 Sabbath to the

00:36:16.400 --> 00:36:16.559
 Lord.

00:36:16.620 --> 00:36:17.140
 Today you won't

00:36:17.140 --> 00:36:17.740
 find it in the

00:36:17.740 --> 00:36:18.000
 field.

00:36:18.100 --> 00:36:18.660
 Six days you

00:36:18.660 --> 00:36:19.260
 shall gather it,

00:36:19.280 --> 00:36:19.600
 but on the

00:36:19.600 --> 00:36:20.220
 seventh day, which

00:36:20.220 --> 00:36:20.920
 is a Sabbath, there

00:36:20.920 --> 00:36:21.380
 will be none.

00:36:21.380 --> 00:36:24.160
 Not surprisingly,

00:36:24.340 --> 00:36:25.280
 verse 27, on the

00:36:25.280 --> 00:36:26.480
 seventh day, some

00:36:26.480 --> 00:36:26.920
 of the people

00:36:26.920 --> 00:36:27.780
 nevertheless went

00:36:27.780 --> 00:36:28.940
 out to gather, but

00:36:28.940 --> 00:36:29.720
 they found none.

00:36:33.400 --> 00:36:34.220
 What's God teaching

00:36:34.220 --> 00:36:34.780
 the people here?

00:36:37.180 --> 00:36:38.059
 He's giving them a

00:36:38.059 --> 00:36:38.280
 gift.

00:36:39.880 --> 00:36:40.480
 He's giving them

00:36:40.480 --> 00:36:41.380
 one day every week

00:36:41.380 --> 00:36:42.640
 where they can rest

00:36:42.640 --> 00:36:44.360
 and receive and

00:36:44.360 --> 00:36:44.700
 rejoice.

00:36:44.699 --> 00:36:49.619
 Now, some of the

00:36:49.619 --> 00:36:50.219
 people didn't want

00:36:50.219 --> 00:36:51.319
 that, right?

00:36:51.379 --> 00:36:52.139
 First they tried to

00:36:52.139 --> 00:36:53.119
 hoard and keep

00:36:53.119 --> 00:36:54.279
 manna overnight, and

00:36:54.279 --> 00:36:54.859
 now they try to

00:36:54.859 --> 00:36:56.139
 overwork and keep

00:36:56.139 --> 00:36:57.000
 working every day and

00:36:57.000 --> 00:36:57.719
 never, ever stop.

00:37:00.299 --> 00:37:01.219
 One person said, a

00:37:01.219 --> 00:37:02.859
 grumbling heart under

00:37:02.859 --> 00:37:04.659
 deprivation becomes a

00:37:04.659 --> 00:37:06.099
 greedy heart under

00:37:06.099 --> 00:37:06.579
 abundance.

00:37:09.659 --> 00:37:10.819
 But God says, six

00:37:10.819 --> 00:37:11.719
 days you shall work.

00:37:12.159 --> 00:37:13.839
 Work hard, but one

00:37:13.840 --> 00:37:14.660
 day you shall rest.

00:37:16.559 --> 00:37:16.960
 Why?

00:37:18.760 --> 00:37:19.820
 The reason is because

00:37:19.820 --> 00:37:20.559
 you're not slaves

00:37:20.559 --> 00:37:20.900
 anymore.

00:37:21.000 --> 00:37:21.559
 When the people of

00:37:21.559 --> 00:37:22.700
 Israel were slaves in

00:37:22.700 --> 00:37:23.480
 Egypt, they had no

00:37:23.480 --> 00:37:24.059
 days off.

00:37:24.940 --> 00:37:25.960
 There was no such

00:37:25.960 --> 00:37:27.300
 thing as a weekend in

00:37:27.300 --> 00:37:28.820
 ancient Egypt, especially

00:37:28.820 --> 00:37:29.860
 if you were a slave.

00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:31.579
 Pharaoh never gave

00:37:31.579 --> 00:37:32.300
 them days off.

00:37:34.519 --> 00:37:35.680
 And God wants the

00:37:35.680 --> 00:37:37.539
 Israelites to know, I

00:37:37.539 --> 00:37:38.980
 am not a harsh task

00:37:38.980 --> 00:37:39.980
 master like Pharaoh.

00:37:39.980 --> 00:37:42.380
 I want you to work

00:37:42.380 --> 00:37:43.940
 hard in my kingdom, but

00:37:43.940 --> 00:37:45.039
 I also want you to

00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:47.360
 rest with peace and

00:37:47.360 --> 00:37:47.719
 joy.

00:37:48.539 --> 00:37:50.619
 I want to give you a

00:37:50.619 --> 00:37:53.420
 day to celebrate and a

00:37:53.420 --> 00:37:55.900
 day to receive and a

00:37:55.900 --> 00:37:57.280
 day to know that I'm

00:37:57.280 --> 00:37:58.960
 your creator and you're

00:37:58.960 --> 00:38:01.500
 just a creature and you

00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:02.079
 can let go.

00:38:03.639 --> 00:38:04.639
 Now, how does this one

00:38:04.639 --> 00:38:05.219
 apply to us?

00:38:05.219 --> 00:38:06.000
 Well, Christians have

00:38:06.000 --> 00:38:07.980
 debated whether the

00:38:07.980 --> 00:38:09.519
 Sabbath is also, continues

00:38:09.519 --> 00:38:11.639
 to be a commandment under

00:38:11.639 --> 00:38:12.599
 the new covenant in

00:38:12.599 --> 00:38:13.000
 Christ.

00:38:14.039 --> 00:38:15.980
 But regardless of whether

00:38:15.980 --> 00:38:16.819
 you think it's a

00:38:16.819 --> 00:38:18.679
 commandment in the same

00:38:18.679 --> 00:38:19.619
 way as it was in the Old

00:38:19.619 --> 00:38:20.480
 Testament or a different

00:38:20.480 --> 00:38:21.859
 way, the Sabbath is

00:38:21.859 --> 00:38:22.719
 written into the pattern

00:38:22.719 --> 00:38:23.379
 of creation.

00:38:25.279 --> 00:38:26.859
 And Jesus himself said

00:38:26.859 --> 00:38:28.519
 the Sabbath was made for

00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:31.459
 man, for human beings,

00:38:31.599 --> 00:38:32.839
 for our blessing, for our

00:38:32.840 --> 00:38:33.180
 benefit.

00:38:35.100 --> 00:38:36.640
 Even if it's not a law,

00:38:37.860 --> 00:38:39.620
 why would we reject a

00:38:39.620 --> 00:38:40.860
 good gift from God?

00:38:42.860 --> 00:38:44.300
 That's meant for our

00:38:44.300 --> 00:38:45.800
 sustaining provision.

00:38:46.660 --> 00:38:47.700
 Now, I don't know what the

00:38:47.700 --> 00:38:48.740
 details will look like for

00:38:48.740 --> 00:38:49.019
 you.

00:38:49.579 --> 00:38:50.360
 You might need to

00:38:50.360 --> 00:38:51.620
 reorganize your schedule

00:38:51.620 --> 00:38:52.780
 during the rest of the

00:38:52.780 --> 00:38:53.039
 week.

00:38:53.500 --> 00:38:54.380
 The Israelites did some

00:38:54.380 --> 00:38:55.220
 extra cooking on the

00:38:55.220 --> 00:38:56.940
 sixth day so they could

00:38:56.940 --> 00:38:57.900
 rest on the seventh day.

00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:00.660
 Maybe you'll do Sunday.

00:39:00.659 --> 00:39:02.159
 That's the traditional

00:39:02.159 --> 00:39:03.379
 Christian day of rest.

00:39:03.699 --> 00:39:04.599
 Maybe you'll do Saturday

00:39:04.599 --> 00:39:05.539
 dinner to Sunday dinner,

00:39:05.639 --> 00:39:06.299
 like the evening and

00:39:06.299 --> 00:39:07.639
 morning thing.

00:39:08.099 --> 00:39:09.179
 Maybe you have to work on

00:39:09.179 --> 00:39:10.359
 Sunday, so maybe you try

00:39:10.359 --> 00:39:11.179
 to take a different day.

00:39:11.619 --> 00:39:12.440
 I think there's some

00:39:12.440 --> 00:39:14.960
 Christian freedom in how we

00:39:14.960 --> 00:39:15.839
 work out the details.

00:39:17.799 --> 00:39:19.819
 But can you receive the

00:39:19.819 --> 00:39:23.119
 Sabbath as a gift from the

00:39:23.119 --> 00:39:24.480
 God who has saved you and

00:39:24.480 --> 00:39:25.619
 the God who continues to

00:39:25.619 --> 00:39:26.239
 sustain you?

00:39:27.460 --> 00:39:28.679
 It's part of how God

00:39:28.679 --> 00:39:29.819
 sustains us.

00:39:30.699 --> 00:39:33.079
 It's by giving us rest and

00:39:33.079 --> 00:39:33.779
 giving us joy.

00:39:34.719 --> 00:39:35.659
 So there's enough for

00:39:35.659 --> 00:39:37.019
 everyone, there was enough

00:39:37.019 --> 00:39:38.259
 for every day, and there

00:39:38.259 --> 00:39:38.980
 was enough for every

00:39:38.980 --> 00:39:40.619
 Sabbath because those God

00:39:40.619 --> 00:39:42.460
 saves, he also sustains.

00:39:43.719 --> 00:39:44.899
 The end of the passage

00:39:44.899 --> 00:39:47.139
 tells us that the people of

00:39:47.139 --> 00:39:48.799
 Israel kept one omer of

00:39:48.799 --> 00:39:50.419
 manna, one half gallon,

00:39:50.539 --> 00:39:51.940
 one day's serving of manna

00:39:51.940 --> 00:39:53.480
 in the Ark of the Covenant

00:39:53.480 --> 00:39:54.500
 before the testimony.

00:39:55.279 --> 00:39:56.799
 It was a perpetual reminder of

00:39:56.799 --> 00:39:57.919
 God's faithfulness to the

00:39:57.920 --> 00:39:58.680
 people in the wilderness.

00:39:59.680 --> 00:40:00.639
 Now, we don't have that

00:40:00.639 --> 00:40:00.960
 anymore.

00:40:03.320 --> 00:40:04.740
 It's gone, disappeared

00:40:04.740 --> 00:40:05.720
 somewhere through the ages.

00:40:06.680 --> 00:40:07.360
 But you know what?

00:40:07.360 --> 00:40:08.220
 We have something even

00:40:08.220 --> 00:40:08.500
 better.

00:40:10.420 --> 00:40:13.000
 We have a reminder of an

00:40:13.000 --> 00:40:15.019
 even greater provision than

00:40:15.019 --> 00:40:15.480
 the manna.

00:40:17.619 --> 00:40:19.340
 Jesus Christ said, the bread of

00:40:19.340 --> 00:40:21.119
 God is he who comes down from

00:40:21.119 --> 00:40:22.940
 heaven and gives life to the

00:40:22.940 --> 00:40:23.200
 world.

00:40:23.260 --> 00:40:24.900
 He says, I am the living bread

00:40:24.900 --> 00:40:25.960
 that came down from heaven.

00:40:28.260 --> 00:40:29.519
 I am the bread of life.

00:40:32.400 --> 00:40:33.680
 Jesus Christ came into the

00:40:33.680 --> 00:40:35.240
 world not just to sustain us

00:40:35.240 --> 00:40:37.400
 physically, but to rescue us

00:40:37.400 --> 00:40:39.240
 and sustain us spiritually.

00:40:40.579 --> 00:40:41.900
 And as we take the Lord's

00:40:41.900 --> 00:40:42.720
 supper, which is what we're

00:40:42.720 --> 00:40:43.639
 going to do in just a minute,

00:40:44.440 --> 00:40:48.780
 the bread that we pass out is

00:40:48.780 --> 00:40:49.760
 not the bread of life.

00:40:49.760 --> 00:40:52.080
 Jesus himself is the bread of

00:40:52.080 --> 00:40:53.160
 life, but it's an enduring

00:40:53.160 --> 00:40:53.740
 testimony.

00:40:55.020 --> 00:40:58.280
 It's a regular reminder that

00:40:58.280 --> 00:41:00.060
 Jesus is faithful, that God is

00:41:00.060 --> 00:41:01.420
 faithful to all his promises,

00:41:01.420 --> 00:41:03.020
 that we can trust him and he

00:41:03.020 --> 00:41:04.020
 will sustain us.

00:41:04.900 --> 00:41:07.340
 When we feed on him by faith

00:41:07.340 --> 00:41:10.080
 with thanksgiving, that just as

00:41:10.080 --> 00:41:11.200
 he brought the Israelites through

00:41:11.200 --> 00:41:13.540
 the wilderness, he will walk with

00:41:13.540 --> 00:41:15.820
 us and sustain us through whatever

00:41:15.820 --> 00:41:17.840
 the wilderness we face today.

00:41:21.680 --> 00:41:24.220
 The same God who saves us will

00:41:24.220 --> 00:41:25.360
 continue to sustain us.

00:41:26.300 --> 00:41:26.960
 Let's pray.

00:41:30.360 --> 00:41:32.720
 Father, we thank you for your

00:41:32.720 --> 00:41:34.140
 provision for the Israelites in the

00:41:34.140 --> 00:41:34.400
 wilderness.

00:41:35.940 --> 00:41:41.740
 We thank you for your kindness to

00:41:41.740 --> 00:41:44.640
 them, for not repaying them as

00:41:44.639 --> 00:41:45.719
 their grumbling deserved.

00:41:47.359 --> 00:41:50.199
 We thank you for your faithfulness

00:41:50.199 --> 00:41:50.659
 to us.

00:41:52.619 --> 00:41:55.299
 Lord, we thank you above all that

00:41:55.299 --> 00:41:56.619
 while we were still sinners, your

00:41:56.619 --> 00:41:58.619
 son Jesus Christ died for us.

00:42:01.259 --> 00:42:02.619
 And Lord, that is our hope.

00:42:02.940 --> 00:42:04.259
 That is our confidence.

00:42:08.599 --> 00:42:11.679
 We pray that we would trust you,

00:42:11.679 --> 00:42:14.119
 that you are enough.

00:42:15.679 --> 00:42:16.919
 And you are our provider.

00:42:17.940 --> 00:42:19.179
 In Jesus' name we pray.

00:42:19.679 --> 00:42:19.980
 Amen.