1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:05,960 All right, Exodus 16, The whole Israelite community set out from 2 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:10,200 Elim and came to the deserts of sin, which is between Elim and 3 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,600 Sinai, on the 15th day of the second month after they had come 4 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,120 out of Egypt. In the deserts, the whole 5 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:18,160 community grumbled against Moses and Iran. 6 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,240 The Israelites said to them, If only we are died by the Lord's 7 00:00:22,240 --> 00:00:25,400 hand in Egypt. There we sat round pots of meat 8 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:29,120 and ate all the food we wanted. But you have brought us out into 9 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,720 this desert to starve this entire assembly to death. 10 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,200 Then the Lord said to Moses, I will rain down bread from heaven 11 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:38,440 for you. The people are to go out each 12 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:40,200 day and gather enough for that day. 13 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,040 In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my 14 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,080 instructions. On the 6th day they are to 15 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:50,240 prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as 16 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:54,640 they gather on the other days. So Moses and Aaron said to all 17 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,160 the Israelites, in the evening you'll know that it was the Lord 18 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:02,080 who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you'll see 19 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:04,720 the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling 20 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:07,000 against him. Who are we that you should 21 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,760 grumble against us? Moses also said, You'll know 22 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,080 that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the 23 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,200 evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he 24 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:17,640 has heard your grumbling against him. 25 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:20,800 Who are we? You're not grumbling against us, 26 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:25,160 but against the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, say to 27 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:29,320 the entire Israelites community, come before the Lord, he has 28 00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:32,520 heard your grumbling. While Aaron was speaking to the 29 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:35,600 whole Israelite community, they looked towards the desert and 30 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,360 there was A and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in 31 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:42,120 the cloud. The Lord said to Moses, I've 32 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,160 heard your grumbling, Sorry, I've heard the grumbling of the 33 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,360 Israelites. Tell them at twilight you'll eat 34 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:50,960 meat, and in the morning you'll be filled with bread. 35 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:53,600 Then you'll know that I'm the Lord your God. 36 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,160 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the 37 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,800 morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 38 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,000 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground 39 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,479 appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they 40 00:02:08,479 --> 00:02:10,759 said to each other, What is it for? 41 00:02:10,759 --> 00:02:13,920 They did not know what it was Moses said to them. 42 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,400 It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 43 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:18,440 This is what the Lord has commanded. 44 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:21,120 Everyone is together as much as they need. 45 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,600 Take an Omar for each person you have in your tent. 46 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:27,160 The Israelites did as they were told. 47 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,840 Some gathered much, some little, and when they measured it by the 48 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,960 Oma, the one who had gathered much did not have too much, and 49 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:35,840 the one who gathered little did not have too little. 50 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:38,440 Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. 51 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,720 Then Moses said to them, No one is to keep any of it until 52 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:45,520 morning. However, some of them paid no 53 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:48,280 attention to Moses. They kept part of it until the 54 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:52,080 morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell, so 55 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,920 Moses was angry with them. Each morning everyone gathered 56 00:02:55,920 --> 00:02:58,960 as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted 57 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,800 away. On the 6th day they gathered as 58 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,840 much, twice as much, 2 omers for each person. 59 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,040 And the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. 60 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:11,480 He said to them, this is what the Lord commanded. 61 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:16,040 Tomorrow is to be a day of Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to 62 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:18,400 the Lord. So bake what you want to bake, 63 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,880 and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep 64 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:25,400 it until morning. So they saved us until morning, 65 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:28,640 as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. 66 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:32,920 Eat it today, Moses said, because today is a day of 67 00:03:32,920 --> 00:03:36,160 Sabbath to the Lord. You'll not find any of it on the 68 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:39,120 ground today. Six days you are to gather it, 69 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,080 but on the 7th day, the Sabbath, there will not be any. 70 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,680 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the 7th day to 71 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:50,040 gather it, but they found none. And the Lord said to Moses, How 72 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:52,920 long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 73 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:55,880 Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath. 74 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:58,600 That is why on the 6th day He gives you bread. 75 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,600 For two days everyone is to stay where they are. 76 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:03,800 On the 7th day no one is to go out. 77 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:08,600 So the people rested. On the 7th day the people of 78 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,640 Israel called the Bread Manor. It was white like coriander seed 79 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:14,680 and tasted like wafers made with honey. 80 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,399 Moses said this is what the Lord has commanded, Take an Omer of 81 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:22,400 manna and keep it for the generations to come, so that 82 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,240 they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness 83 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:29,680 when I brought you out of Egypt. So Moses said to Iran, Take a 84 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:32,920 jar and put an Omer of manna in it, then place it before the 85 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,840 Lord to be kept for the generations to come, as the Lord 86 00:04:36,840 --> 00:04:39,920 commanded Moses. A1 put the mana with the tablets 87 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,400 of the covenant law, that it might be preserved. 88 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:47,280 The Israelites ET mana for 40 years until they came to a land 89 00:04:47,280 --> 00:04:51,200 that they that that was settled the ET mana until they reached 90 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:55,120 the border of Canaan. And Omar is 1/10 of an ephah. 91 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,000 Good morning. It is really good to be with you 92 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:05,520 and opening up Exodus with you. So do turn back to that passage 93 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:08,000 if you've closed it, that'd be really helpful to just trace 94 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,720 along if you want a sort of handout to follow along with. 95 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:13,280 There are some sort of at the front. 96 00:05:13,280 --> 00:05:14,560 I think there were some as you went. 97 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:18,200 Do take them afterwards if that's helpful for you just to 98 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,960 track along and a few questions to begin to sort of process. 99 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,320 If you want to take a yeah, just take a second to dish those out, 100 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:31,680 that'll be great. We're talking about tests today 101 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:34,720 and I was thinking as I was driving here, really one of the 102 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:38,280 first tests I did was a chemistry test where my problem 103 00:05:38,280 --> 00:05:42,240 was that I, I read all the first page and then didn't realise 104 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:44,240 that there was any questions on the back. 105 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,960 Some of you will have done that, completed the test and not 106 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:48,600 realised there were more questions to do. 107 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:51,080 So be aware with this. Handout that there is stuff on 108 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:52,480 the back to have a look at as well. 109 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,200 You know, I don't think this is going to be a short sermon. 110 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,000 No, there's a back as well. This is going to be a long, long 111 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,600 sermon. But yeah, if it's helpful for 112 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:04,320 you afterwards to take one of those away, then then please do 113 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:08,600 so. So we're looking at Exodus 16. 114 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:12,720 As I mentioned, I did Bible college over in the. 115 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:16,680 States and one of my. Professors was a guy called Jim 116 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,880 Caulfield. And Jim had an adopted. 117 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:24,240 Son called Skylar, who had significant additional needs. 118 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:27,200 This is what Jim wrote. Just a little while back about 119 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,560 Skylar. He said parenting. 120 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:33,440 Skylar has required more capacity than my DNA held. 121 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,720 Skylar is forever 7. He's capable of giving and 122 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,120 receiving love, and he is deeply loved. 123 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,920 But the challenges are mighty and affect every decision that 124 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,320 we make. My wife Mona and I. 125 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,920 Adopted him at his birth. He struggles with being able to 126 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:52,440 read. He requires someone to help him 127 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,600 function. He can be by himself for an hour 128 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:59,280 or so but would not be able to navigate the unexpected. 129 00:06:59,960 --> 00:07:05,080 He has the soul of a 34 year old man, but cognitively he's 7. 130 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:07,480 He's often. Aware of the gap? 131 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,160 And he will grieve the disparity for. 132 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,840 Example Skylar wants to drive when we remind him. 133 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:16,520 Skylar, you. Can't drive until you can read. 134 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,120 We assume he understands the dilemma. 135 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,360 But whenever? A Smart car pulls up next to us. 136 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:24,960 He'll say, oh, that's just a little car, maybe I could drive 137 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:30,240 that car. As a soul of a man who wants to 138 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:34,840 be independent and take care of himself, he hates, Jim wrote, 139 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:38,040 that he has to depend on us. Yet he knows at some deep level 140 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:41,440 that he can't do it without us. He gets angry when he has to ask 141 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:43,960 for help, but he knows he needs it. 142 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:48,920 This morning we are stepping into the desert with the 143 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:54,160 Israelites in Exodus 16 and so. Far in the story of. 144 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:58,920 Exodus, the Lord has got his people Israel out of Egypt, he 145 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:00,680 looked. With compassion on their misery. 146 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:02,280 While they were slaves. And he sent. 147 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:06,400 A deliverer Moses for them, but really it was the Lord who 148 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:07,080 delivered. Them. 149 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:10,920 The Lord hit the Egyptians with 10 different plagues to reveal 150 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,960 just how great the Lord was, to show His superiority over all of 151 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,680 life and over all the fake Egyptian gods, to declare His 152 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,160 name the Lord to both Israelites and to Egyptians. 153 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:24,480 He brought His people through Passover. 154 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:26,480 And he brought them. Through the Red Sea. 155 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:30,000 You can read that whole. Story Exodus chapter one through 156 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,799 15. So the Lord has got them out of 157 00:08:32,799 --> 00:08:35,919 Egypt, but the story doesn't. End there. 158 00:08:35,919 --> 00:08:37,760 There is a lot more of the. Book still to come. 159 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:41,159 The Lord has got them out of Egypt, but now the even. 160 00:08:41,159 --> 00:08:44,000 Harder work begins for them. As somebody has put. 161 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:49,040 It the work of getting Egypt out of the people that's the much 162 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,480 more difficult work Egypt out of the people. 163 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:54,720 So we're out in the desert, we're out in the. 164 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,840 Wilderness with them. This is a place where the Lord 165 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:02,080 will test them. See, God does bring us into. 166 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:05,960 Desert places into difficult places into testing 167 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,320 circumstances. Because that's where some of 168 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:10,960 his. Best work happens. 169 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,720 God does some of his best work in the wilderness. 170 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:18,840 And in chapter. 16 We're going to see what sort of work he 171 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:22,880 does, but let me just say this before we get into the chapter, 172 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:24,880 We're not going to see the full. Inside track. 173 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,640 On what God is up to in every different and challenging 174 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:30,240 circumstance. But we. 175 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:31,600 Are going to see that we can trust. 176 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:34,760 Him and we can. Depend on him, even in testing 177 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,200 circumstances. You see, above all, that's what 178 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,760 He wants us to know. Not so much exactly what He is 179 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:45,320 doing in your life at this particular moment, but learning 180 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:49,200 that we can trust Him. So often we will. 181 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:51,600 Prefer to be independent. We don't want to trust that the 182 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:54,360 Lord knows best. We want to be able to to drive 183 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:57,360 the car even. When it is too much for us. 184 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:02,360 But testing circumstances, testing places are those moments 185 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:04,200 where the. Lord draws us to deeper 186 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:06,960 dependency and to greater trust in Him. 187 00:10:08,680 --> 00:10:10,320 So let's walk through the passage together. 188 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:12,080 First thing I want us to see is this. 189 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:16,240 God uses testing times to expose our fears. 190 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,840 He using testing times to expose our fears. 191 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:23,200 First one tells us. That they move on from Helium 192 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,960 and they arrive in the Desert of Sin. 193 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:28,480 Now that doesn't sound like a great place, does it? 194 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,000 The Desert of Sin and it doesn't look like a great place. 195 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,560 Either because there's no food. Around. 196 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:38,720 But when the going gets. Tough the people of God get 197 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:40,800 grumbling. Notice verse 2. 198 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:45,320 The grumbling happens and it is the whole community and 199 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:47,760 grumbling. Is not only against Moses, it is 200 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:52,040 also against Aaron verse 2. And they begin verse. 3 To hark 201 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,720 back to Egypt. They say this if only. 202 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:56,920 We had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt. 203 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:01,200 There we sat round with pots of meat and ate all the food we 204 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:02,680 wanted. But you have brought us out into 205 00:11:02,680 --> 00:11:04,720 this. Desert to starve us. 206 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:06,920 To starve this entire assembly to death. 207 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:10,600 Now let's just dissect. For a moment, what they say 208 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:14,680 there in verse. 3 is that. Really what Egypt was like. 209 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:19,080 Was it really that great? Well, it was fertile. 210 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,520 It was the bread basket of the world at that time. 211 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:25,320 But did the Israelites really eat to their hearts content? 212 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,360 What about oppression? What about having to build 213 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:32,960 Pharaoh's pyramids? What about their babies being 214 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:38,680 killed and thrown into the Nile? Was it really so good now? 215 00:11:38,680 --> 00:11:40,520 Of course not. There, there's a there's a 216 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:45,320 selective amnesia here. And did Moses really bring them 217 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:46,880 out to starve? Was that the plan? 218 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:48,760 No, He brought them out to belong to God. 219 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:51,640 That's why they were they were brought out because they've been 220 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:54,800 liberated. And surely the God who had been 221 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:58,040 their protector and their deliverer could also be their 222 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:02,400 provider. Now notice there's a date. 223 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:07,080 Given for this moment verse. One, it's the 15th day of the 224 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:11,600 second month, which means it's exactly 1 month. 225 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:17,840 After they left Egypt, just one month and they have forgotten 226 00:12:18,560 --> 00:12:22,480 quite how bad it all was. One preacher. 227 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:24,440 Said they are just delusional here. 228 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:29,840 They're making Egypt out to be like some inclusive 5 star hotel 229 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:31,600 with an all you can eat buffet laid on. 230 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:37,120 They're saying life was better in Egypt, and why would they say 231 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,960 that? Well, because in the desert. 232 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:44,520 They can't see where their food is coming from, there's no lid 233 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:47,520 or Tesco for miles. But instead of turning to the 234 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:49,240 Lord. They turn against. 235 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:51,800 Him, and against those who represented him. 236 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:55,880 You see, they're afraid. They're afraid. 237 00:12:56,680 --> 00:13:01,400 Like they are hungry naturally, but they don't trust God. 238 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:03,640 You only need to go back just into the end of the. 239 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:05,200 Last chapter to see that they've already. 240 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:07,680 Had an issue with without water and God has come. 241 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:10,400 Through for them, but they. They still don't trust God. 242 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:12,000 They don't want to live by faith. 243 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,400 They want to live by sight. And you see, guys, when we're 244 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:21,160 afraid, when we see the empty cupboards in our own lives, when 245 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:24,320 we don't feel we have what we need, When we feel the groan of 246 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:27,920 empty stomachs or we feel internally empty. 247 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:32,720 When we see no way out. When we feel really vulnerable, 248 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,840 then it often shows us where our hearts actually lie. 249 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:42,360 I mean, we can say and we can sing. 250 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:46,800 On a Sunday morning that we that we trust the Lord, that that's 251 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:51,640 where our confidence is, But functionally, we often actually 252 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:55,520 trust in something else for our happiness and our security. 253 00:13:56,680 --> 00:14:01,440 It's often Jesus plus something else for us to feel OK. 254 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:05,680 And they're. Delusional here about Egypt, 255 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:10,120 just as we are delusional when we think that the approval of a 256 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:14,160 particular person or having a particular thing can be enough 257 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:18,120 for us. We are delusional and fearful 258 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:20,080 whenever we say with the Israelites. 259 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:29,800 If only, if only, if only this thing could change in my life, 260 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:34,560 then I will be happy. If only my line manager. 261 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:36,840 Would move on, then my life would be better. 262 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,160 If only I could stop that bad stuff that is happening to the 263 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:43,720 person I really love. Then then I'd feel OK. 264 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:47,760 If only we could just move house and get away from those 265 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:52,840 neighbors, I would be fine. If only everything in church 266 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:57,840 would just stay the same. The Lord will sometimes. 267 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:03,560 Bring us into a place where we feel empty and uncomfortable, to 268 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:10,040 reveal our fears and expose our hearts and show us our idols. 269 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:17,480 So what is your If only today, what goes there? 270 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:22,200 What, what would you say if only this would happen or this were 271 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:24,640 true? Then life will be OK. 272 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:27,840 I'd feel all right. What is it for you? 273 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:35,200 Like be honest with yourself. What is your if only then I'd be 274 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:39,440 OK. Testing situations are used by 275 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:44,160 God to expose our fear. But secondly, God uses. 276 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:47,560 Testing times as well to train our hearts. 277 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:50,440 Not just to. Expose our fears, but also to 278 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:54,160 train our hearts. First notice that the Lord had 279 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:58,760 heard their grumbling 4 times. The text says that verse 7, 280 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:02,600 verse 8, verse 9, verse 12. The Lord had heard them. 281 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:05,160 Now, sometimes we talk. About the Lord. 282 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:07,640 Hearing the groans. Of his people as already. 283 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:12,400 Positive thing, but here they are grumbling about the Lords 284 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:14,960 and in verse 9 Moses. Highlights the grumbling. 285 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,480 Is not just about him, not just about Aaron, but. 286 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:21,120 Really, it's with the Lord. Himself and the grumbling is not 287 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:24,960 a reasonable grumbling. It's not that the Lord sort of 288 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:28,480 holds his hand up and says. Oh yes, you're right guys. 289 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:31,080 I I I really appreciate this helpful feedback. 290 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:35,480 Apologies, I've just had. So much on this past week or so. 291 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:38,320 I forgot you needed some food. I will get that sorted out 292 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:43,440 straight away now before He provides for them. 293 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:46,640 Did you notice in the reading verse 10 the Lord displayed His 294 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:50,080 glory? Just remind them who it is 295 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:51,720 they're grumbling about to remind them. 296 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:54,920 That to grumble is to disrespect God's. 297 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:58,520 Glory and to diminish his. Goodness and to grumble is a 298 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,960 fearful. Response, not a faith response. 299 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:05,920 So you guys, when we when we grumble. 300 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:08,960 About life as Christians. When we moan about something. 301 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:13,000 That is going on. We are saying that the Lord has 302 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:15,119 got something wrong in our lives. 303 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:22,200 You see, there's all the difference between lamenting and 304 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:26,119 complaining, between lamenting and grumbling. 305 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:30,840 Lamenting is a godly response. To the. 306 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:35,560 Hard things in our lives. In lamenting, we express to the 307 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:39,360 Lord how weighed down we are, how much we feel pressed in, how 308 00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:42,160 confused we are. And how we're struggling. 309 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:45,200 To make sense of things. Because we know. 310 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:49,800 Him to be a good God. We're still clinging to him, but 311 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:52,560 we're confused and we're wrestling it because we know him 312 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:56,000 to be good. But grumbling is our is our 313 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,360 ungodly response to the same things grumbling says to the 314 00:17:59,360 --> 00:18:01,600 Lord. Lord, you are getting it wrong. 315 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,000 Lord, you're doing the wrong thing at this point. 316 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:06,880 You should. Be doing something different, 317 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:09,160 God. And we say. 318 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:12,280 Either directly or indirectly, Lord, you are not good. 319 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:16,440 Lamenting struggles because we know. 320 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,480 God to be good and we can't make sense of it. 321 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,280 Grumbling is to doubt. That he is good. 322 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:26,120 So can I? Ask you like, do you grumble? 323 00:18:26,120 --> 00:18:27,880 Is grumbling part of your sort of. 324 00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:30,880 DNAI mean. It might be about what? 325 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:34,280 God is doing in your. Place of work or in your class 326 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:36,720 at the moment. It might be about what's 327 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:38,640 happening on your. Street or with your kids? 328 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,320 At the new school they've not long been to or. 329 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,640 In a particular friend's life. Who's just had that serious? 330 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:47,040 Accident or what he's been doing with your ageing. 331 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,840 Parents recently what is? Happening at church in your 332 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:52,680 small. Group with somebody that's 333 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:54,960 really difficult. Are you grumbling? 334 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:58,840 Not just about the thing itself. But can you see you're really 335 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:03,120 grumbling with God? It's the Lord that you're not 336 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:06,120 happy with. You don't like what he's done in 337 00:19:06,120 --> 00:19:07,120 your life. You keep. 338 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:10,240 Looking back over your. Shoulder to those good old days 339 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,080 when you felt like you just had everything you wanted. 340 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:18,520 I mean, how many of us? Look back to some time wanting 341 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:21,880 those particular years again, when it was all going well, when 342 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:26,640 it all seemed good. And now you find yourself 343 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:33,320 wrestling with significant loneliness, or with infertility, 344 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:39,640 or with kids who don't want to believe anymore, or the spouse 345 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:43,400 who you seem really distant from, or a whole series of 346 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,880 physical challenges that you never used to have. 347 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:51,960 When life isn't as we want it, are we going to approach him in 348 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:56,960 lament? Or are we going to turn away in 349 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:58,560 grumbling and turn away from him? 350 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:04,720 How are we going to go to him? And notice as well the way that 351 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:07,320 the Lord was going to test them through daily provision. 352 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:09,920 The Lord says what He's going to do, verse 4. 353 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:12,680 There is going to be provision. They're going to get some food, 354 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:14,080 they're going to get lots of food. 355 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:18,040 The Lord knows they need something to eat, but he will 356 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:21,280 train them and he will test them as he gives them food. 357 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:24,160 So there's an immediate provision of meat. 358 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:28,640 There is this quail. That is sent in verse. 13 if 359 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:30,240 you're not sure what. Quail is. 360 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:31,920 Think kind of small. Chicken. 361 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:33,760 That's the kind of that's what we're talking about. 362 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:38,240 South in the evening quail came and dropped from the sky and 363 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:42,080 there is loads to eat so that night. 364 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:46,000 It is quail burgers and. Quail Curry and quail Caesar 365 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:48,520 salad and Kentucky Fried. Quail and yeah, like you. 366 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:52,400 Name it, there was all the quail they needed for the evening, but 367 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:56,640 quail was just a one off A1 off to show them that the Lord could 368 00:20:56,640 --> 00:21:00,520 feed them however he wanted to. But it is the bread that will be 369 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,960 their staple. So verse four, I will rain down 370 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:06,880 bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each 371 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:10,840 day and gather enough for that. Day in this way notice. 372 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:13,200 I will test. Them and see if they're followed 373 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:17,200 by instructions. Now we'll get into the details 374 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:19,840 of that just in a moment. But as the law provides, did you 375 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:23,000 notice he tests? Them he trains them. 376 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:28,480 At Christmas. As a as a kid I remember getting 377 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:32,280 hold of the Argos catalog and I would work through the toys 378 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:33,800 section. Page by. 379 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,280 Page and I would circle something on every page that I 380 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:41,120 would really like for Christmas. Now I am glad. 381 00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:43,480 To say that my parents didn't buy me everything that I 382 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:46,640 circled, that wouldn't have been very good for me at all. 383 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:50,560 And the Lord is not. Like an indulgent parent. 384 00:21:51,360 --> 00:21:53,040 Who just keeps? Giving the child whatever they 385 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:56,600 put on their Christmas list, whatever the Argos catalog says, 386 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:00,760 it's not a parent who. Responds to. 387 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:05,080 Every request for the yes, no matter how spoilt we're getting, 388 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,880 God wants to mature and grow His children. 389 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:14,680 God does His best work with us in the wilderness because that's 390 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:18,800 where we learn to trust them. And so his provision. 391 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:21,320 For them. Requires them to be dependent on 392 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:22,960 him. They are to go out. 393 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:27,400 When each day and gather enough for that day. 394 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:32,120 What's the pattern there? The pattern is daily dependence, 395 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:37,560 daily needing the Lord to show up every day. 396 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:41,960 I mean couldn't the Lord have given them enough manner for for 397 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:47,080 a week all at one go or enough for a month or even for a year? 398 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:48,720 I mean this is like heavenly bread. 399 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:50,640 This kind of bread can be anything at all. 400 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:55,040 Of course he could could have provided manner that never went 401 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:57,920 off like some long lasting milk. That lasts for. 402 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:00,800 Weeks and weeks could have done anything he liked. 403 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:05,920 But he gave them daily breads, so they learnt daily dependency. 404 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:11,800 Now we really don't want that daily dependency, do we? 405 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:14,440 We'd we'd much rather store up for ourselves. 406 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:20,840 We'd much rather sort of halt. Feels like it's much easier to 407 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:23,600 trust God if we know we've got something else to fall back on. 408 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:30,240 But manna from heaven is daily and continual and little by 409 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:32,880 little. And the the test will be this. 410 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:38,600 Will you trust me day-to-day? Will you trust me day-to-day? 411 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:42,760 I mean, how many of us in the room spend? 412 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:48,520 Loads of time worrying about tomorrow, trying to insure 413 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:52,760 ourselves against tomorrow. Like we hoard our stuff, we 414 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:58,560 hoard our money, we we fret. I I'm not saying it's not wise 415 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:02,360 to save. I'm not saying it's not wise to 416 00:24:02,360 --> 00:24:05,120 look ahead. But we easily become dependent 417 00:24:06,360 --> 00:24:10,200 on our plans and what we save rather than dependent on him. 418 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:14,320 We just do not want to be daily dependent. 419 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:17,440 We don't want to be God dependent. 420 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:22,160 Can I ask you this morning, I mean, where are you self 421 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:24,840 reliant? Where do you think? 422 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:27,760 Well, I feel out of my depth here, but I feel like I've got 423 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:29,520 at least that part of life all buttoned up. 424 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:32,200 That's OK. I can manage without. 425 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:38,160 God in that little part of life, friends, we are always reliant 426 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:42,320 on Him. There is nothing we have. 427 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:46,320 That he could not take away in a moment if he chose to do that we 428 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:47,680 have got. Nothing without him. 429 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:52,960 And this daily reliance? Showed that I mean how good it 430 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:54,440 is. That the Lord has made it, 431 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:58,120 created us, so we need to eat and drink regularly, I mean. 432 00:24:58,120 --> 00:25:00,040 Imagine if he made us so we could just kind of drink. 433 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:02,040 Once a year and. And and then it was. 434 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:05,280 Fine, or eat once in our lifetime and that would sort us 435 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:07,760 out. The most very fundamental. 436 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:12,960 Things to keep life going need to happen frequently, and God 437 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,640 must be the one to provide them. Are you cultivating a daily 438 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:20,760 dependency on it Are. You glad for that? 439 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:25,880 Daily dependency? Well, let's see what the 440 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:29,240 Israelites did with that test of daily dependency. 441 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:32,400 So God uses. Testing times to to firstly 442 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:35,000 expose our fears. And then to train our. 443 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:40,560 Hearts and then God uses testing times as well to display His 444 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:43,800 patients, to display his patients. 445 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:46,560 The Lord had said He provides. For them, but they needed. 446 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:49,240 To do what he said. So what did they have to do? 447 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:53,320 Well verse 16 tells us they needed to gather in each day 448 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:56,960 what was needed and verse 19 says they were not to keep. 449 00:25:56,960 --> 00:26:00,440 Any of it until morning. So the best before date on 450 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:02,120 manna? Was just one day. 451 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:05,120 That's all it had. But on the Sabbath day, on that 452 00:26:05,120 --> 00:26:06,960 day, there would be no manner whatsoever. 453 00:26:08,360 --> 00:26:12,240 So Friday manner came with a different best before day of two 454 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:14,880 days. The Friday manner could be saved 455 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:17,680 for the following day as well, and it will be absolutely fine. 456 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:23,080 And that's what they would eat. So we've got that for five days, 457 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:25,120 gathering up for every day. But it won't. 458 00:26:25,120 --> 00:26:26,440 Keep. So don't keep it. 459 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,920 One day gathering up for two days and it will keep. 460 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:32,160 So you should keep. It for the following day and 461 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,200 then Sabbath day. No man is coming. 462 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:36,360 Don't go and look for it. Don't try and gather it. 463 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:38,080 Use what you had from the day before. 464 00:26:39,360 --> 00:26:41,120 Now this is a miraculous provision. 465 00:26:41,360 --> 00:26:43,280 The desert you see, was no problem for God. 466 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:47,040 He gave them food right there guys, He can take care of you. 467 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:50,040 Whatever wilderness you're in at the moment, wherever you're 468 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:53,520 wandering through in this month ahead, He can meet you there. 469 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:58,640 But it's really weird stuff this manner because it keeps only one 470 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:02,560 day unless today happens. To be called Friday and then it 471 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:09,120 keeps the tea days, which makes no sense whatsoever except 472 00:27:09,120 --> 00:27:13,000 that's what God says happens. So how do they? 473 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:14,600 Do how do they get? On. 474 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:16,520 How do they? Get on keeping God's 475 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:19,880 instructions. I suspect you've got an like an 476 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:23,880 idea where this is going. Verse 19 Moses says to them. 477 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:27,000 Don't keep any till morning. Verse 20. 478 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:29,440 Some of them paid no attention to Moses. 479 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:33,440 They kept part of it. And it was full of maggots. 480 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:37,640 So the instructions are really clear, clear, crystal clear. 481 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:39,840 But some of them paid no attention. 482 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:43,480 And the result? Mouldy bread and maggots 483 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:46,560 crawling all around the tent. I mean I don't know, I don't 484 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:49,240 like camping at the best of times, but but maggots crawling 485 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:51,280 all around your tent? Sounds awful. 486 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:54,960 Verse 26. Moses again. 487 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:57,600 Six days you're together. But on the 7th day, the Sabbath, 488 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:00,640 there will not be any. Verse 27 nevertheless. 489 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:02,960 Some of the people went out on the 7th day to gather. 490 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:06,480 It they try and keep it when they shouldn't, and they try and 491 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:10,640 gather it when they shouldn't. So how did they do in the tests? 492 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:14,360 Well, they failed them. And why? 493 00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:18,720 Because they don't trust gods, they don't trust what the Lord 494 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:20,440 has said. They're afraid there isn't going 495 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:22,840 to be any more bread the following day, so they try and 496 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:25,760 store it up. Well, they're afraid it's going 497 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:28,600 to go bad on the Sabbath, so let's go out and get some more. 498 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:32,920 They're still fearful. And verse 20 tells us that Moses 499 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:36,720 is angry with them. And in verse 28, the Lord asks 500 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:39,680 how long? Will he refuse to keep my 501 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:43,400 commands? What did the tests reveal? 502 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:47,160 That there was still a long, long way to go with them. 503 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:50,960 That the Lord had got. Them out of Egypt, but they 504 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:55,080 still he still needed to get Egypt out of the people. 505 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:59,440 They needed to learn to not trust themselves, but to trust 506 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:02,200 him. There was a long way to go. 507 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:06,560 And there's a long. Way to go with each of us. 508 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:10,560 I mean, I barely know any of you in the room, but I'm pretty sure 509 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:13,600 there is a long way to go with each of us. 510 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:15,880 We just don't get it very quickly. 511 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:20,520 We seem to take an age to change and to learn. 512 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:24,960 But here's the. Encouraging part of the story. 513 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:29,880 The law wasn't done with them. The law wasn't done with them. 514 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:33,160 I mean, I don't know about you, but at verse 28, if I am the 515 00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:36,360 Lord, I am throwing my hands up at this point and saying that 516 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:38,120 when on earth are you going to start listening? 517 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:40,160 Maybe we should just call it quit snail. 518 00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:42,840 Maybe we should just abandoned this project altogether. 519 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:44,320 I've already showed you in the desert. 520 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:46,920 I can provide water for you. I've been showing you I can 521 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:49,040 provide food for you and you're not trusting. 522 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,080 But that is not what he does. He reminds them again of the 523 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:55,680 instructions verse 29 to 30. He's so patient with them. 524 00:29:56,920 --> 00:30:00,960 That is so patient with them. You see this test of the people 525 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:05,880 is not like a qualifying test. It is a training test. 526 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:08,760 Not a qualifying test, but a training test. 527 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:10,440 Let me explain that a little bit. 528 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:15,280 I, I heard this particular example, a pilot goes in for 529 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:18,880 their final Test before they qualify to fly a plane. 530 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:23,720 Now you want that pilot to pass the test, don't you? 531 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:28,760 And if they don't, you don't want any grace shown to them 532 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:32,640 whatsoever. If they crash the simulator, you 533 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:35,680 don't want the instructor to say to them, oh, never mind, I'm 534 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:37,720 sure it'll be OK. When it comes to a real plane, 535 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:39,640 sure, you're going to be fine. Off you go. 536 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:42,480 We don't want grace shown on the pilot testing program. 537 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:46,120 None of us do. We want justice. 538 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:50,080 Only they must, must, must pass the test. 539 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:57,760 But in God's Nurturing His Children program, there is loads 540 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:02,400 of room for grace and for growth. 541 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:11,600 It is gradual, it is progress. Deuteronomy 8, two to five. 542 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:14,960 He led them all the way in the wilderness these 40 years to 543 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:18,400 humble them and test them. Know then in your heart that as 544 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:22,440 a man disciplines or trains his Son, so the Lord your God 545 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:25,520 disciplines you. The Lord trains us and he 546 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:29,520 disciplines us. But it is a training of a 547 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:35,480 lifetime, not of a moment. So that means the Lord is really 548 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:38,960 persistent and he's deeply patient. 549 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:42,480 He keeps. Sending the manner verse 35 they 550 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:47,200 had it for. 40 years day after day of faithful provision. 551 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:53,080 Now waiting to notice one nice detail about the manner. 552 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:59,160 Verse 31 tells us that it tasted like wafers made with honey. 553 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:04,960 For years I've kind of had it in my head that manner was really, 554 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:08,720 really bland. Like a bit like Ryvita. 555 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:11,360 I mean, apologies if you really like Ryvita, but a bit like. 556 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:14,880 Ryvita like no. Calories but no taste 557 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:17,840 whatsoever. Like I thought eating the Manor 558 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:20,240 day after day after day would be just so boring. 559 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:23,160 But. The text says it was. 560 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:27,760 Sweet like in this? Day they they don't have any 561 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:29,960 sugar. Honey was the 1 sweet taste they 562 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:32,000 had. It was good to eat. 563 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:35,360 The Lord gave them something really desirable. 564 00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:39,360 And it was a nod. As well toward the promised 565 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:42,120 lands. You remember how the Promised 566 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:43,800 Land was? Described, It was described to 567 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:47,520 Moses back in chapter 3 as a land flowing with what? 568 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:53,160 Milk and honey? So this was a little sample of 569 00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:57,760 the sweetness of what lay before them when they made it out of 570 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:03,080 the wilderness. Guys, when we feel like we're in 571 00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:08,120 a desert place, when life feels really difficult, there are two 572 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:14,080 things the Lord always gives us. He gives us daily grace and He 573 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:20,080 gives us sweet grace, daily grace and sweet grace, constant 574 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:23,680 daily kindness. I mean, just think of some of 575 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:25,600 the things you have had from Him this week. 576 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:31,360 Not everything you want it, but how many good things has He sent 577 00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:36,480 you? I mean, even today, but sweet 578 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:38,920 grace as well. Moments when that grace is just 579 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:41,840 so precious. When he nudges us with. 580 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:47,240 Something that is unexpectedly good to just say to us. 581 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:52,480 I'm still here. I'm still working, still with 582 00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:56,120 you. My professor Jim, who I 583 00:33:56,120 --> 00:33:59,920 mentioned at the start, would describe those as a wink from 584 00:33:59,920 --> 00:34:04,400 God. A little wink that says I care 585 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:08,080 for you. Oh, in this weekend, I want you 586 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:11,000 to be looking out for the winks of God in your life. 587 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:15,600 Those little moments of sweet, almost unnecessary grace that he 588 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:19,880 gives you to just keep reminding you that you belong to him and 589 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:26,840 that he's your father. But above all, of course, we 590 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:31,600 need him, don't we? Not other stuff, but Him. 591 00:34:32,639 --> 00:34:34,159 You see? Ultimately they weren't to trust 592 00:34:34,159 --> 00:34:36,639 in the manner, but in the Lord who gave them the manner. 593 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:41,679 And it's not physical bread we need most of all, but living 594 00:34:41,679 --> 00:34:44,520 breads. I mean, we need, don't we, The 595 00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:48,159 Lord Jesus himself, the bread who came down from heaven. 596 00:34:49,639 --> 00:34:54,280 Jesus said I am the bread of life and whoever comes to me 597 00:34:54,280 --> 00:35:00,240 will never go hungry. What is Jesus saying there? 598 00:35:00,240 --> 00:35:02,560 Is he saying that as soon as you become a Christian, everything 599 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:06,800 is straightforward? No, but he's saying this. 600 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:12,400 Look, I am the one you need. You may want really good health. 601 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:18,280 You may want the cancer to be done and the headaches to stop. 602 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:23,480 You may really want to switch to a new team or to find a job that 603 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:28,320 doesn't feel so dead end. You may want your daughter's 604 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:30,720 situation to dramatically change. 605 00:35:32,880 --> 00:35:35,400 You might want the fears and anxieties about your memory 606 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:38,320 beginning to fail taken away from you. 607 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:43,360 You might want a change of friendship group. 608 00:35:44,240 --> 00:35:47,080 You might want to keep looking back over your shoulder at the 609 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:49,600 good old days and think, why isn't it like it used to be? 610 00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:51,400 You might want to fix stuff yourself. 611 00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:55,000 But Jesus says I am the one you need. 612 00:35:56,840 --> 00:35:59,160 I'm the one you need. You can't do life without me. 613 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:01,760 I'm the one who gives you life. I'm the one who will keep you in 614 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:03,760 the wilderness. I'm the one with you there. 615 00:36:03,920 --> 00:36:06,720 I'm the one you need to trust. And deep down, if you're a 616 00:36:06,720 --> 00:36:09,320 Christian. Like we know that's true. 617 00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:13,160 Deep down, we're really glad. It's true. 618 00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:16,920 We just struggle to trust that it's true. 619 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:19,560 Like we know. We can't do anything without 620 00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:21,320 him. We don't want to do life without 621 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:25,880 him, even though we spend so much time fighting against it. 622 00:36:27,720 --> 00:36:28,680 And if you're here, this. Morning. 623 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:30,400 And you're not yet a Christian, you would say. 624 00:36:31,240 --> 00:36:36,920 I feel like I can. Do life on my own like really or 625 00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:38,840 really is that how you want to do life? 626 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:43,840 Or do you want the friendship of the one who can walk through 627 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:47,480 with you as the bread of life and who has everything in his 628 00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:54,800 hands? So this week, this year ahead, 629 00:36:54,800 --> 00:37:00,720 with lots of changes coming as a church, will you trust him? 630 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:05,160 I mean, maybe you need to trust him with something you've been 631 00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:07,280 managing yourself and grumbling about. 632 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:12,080 Maybe you need to begin to recognize that sweet and daily 633 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:15,000 grace that comes even while you're in the desert. 634 00:37:18,560 --> 00:37:23,960 But guys, you can trust him like He can always, always be 635 00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:26,640 trusted. Whatever is going on, whatever 636 00:37:26,640 --> 00:37:30,920 your situation, whatever your day, He's the one who is there 637 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:33,560 for us. Let's take a moment to pray 638 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:36,320 before we close our time with our son together. 639 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:45,520 Father, thank you so much. You're a Father who knows and 640 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:47,360 understands exactly what we need. 641 00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:52,440 Sometimes you seem to take us into places that feel empty and 642 00:37:52,440 --> 00:37:57,320 vulnerable and difficult, but in those places you prove your 643 00:37:57,320 --> 00:38:01,320 fatherly care to us. We thank you for the provision 644 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:07,560 of daily grace and sweet grace. And we ask, Lord, that as we, as 645 00:38:07,560 --> 00:38:10,360 we struggle at times to trust You, as we look at our 646 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:13,880 circumstances more than we look at you, you would turn our eyes 647 00:38:13,880 --> 00:38:17,600 again toward the Lord Jesus, the One who is the bread from heaven 648 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:21,440 that we need, Father, where we need to confess our sin this 649 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:24,160 morning and our self-reliance, help us to do that. 650 00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:29,720 Where we need to have our hearts refreshed and made conscious 651 00:38:29,720 --> 00:38:32,520 again of your provision. Would you help us do that? 652 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:37,240 Lord, we thank you that all your promises are yes in your Son the 653 00:38:37,240 --> 00:38:40,400 Lord Jesus. So we pray, Father, grow our 654 00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:44,680 faith and our trust, even as you are the eminently trustable 1 655 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:47,920 and we are set in Jesus name, Amen.