Last week I talked about plenty. What is given to us daily. This week we dig a little deeper into what else has been given to us to sustain us besides food, shelter and so forth. I am talking about faith, the belief that God will fulfill his promises. His greatest one is His Son. Mired in sin we live, reaching out crying to God. His holiness prevents us from being with Him, in His mercy, He provides a way. What does He ask in return? Faith, patience, understanding, reverence, belief and love for one another.
Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15. 2)The whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3) sons of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the LORD’S hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” 4)Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction. Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, ‘Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your grumblings.’” 10)It came about as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. 11)And the LORD spoke to Moses saying, 12)”I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel; speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat. And in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’” 13) So it came about at evening that the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14)When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, on the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground. 15)When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. Now hold on, do they remember why they were led out of Egypt? Weren’t they enslaved people that God led them in an escape from that entrapped life? Now, they are uncomfortable and yes, having to rough it when they were sleeping in shelters and being fed.
Psalms 78:23-29 23)Yet He commanded the clouds above and opened the doors of heaven; 24)He rained down manna upon them to eat and gave them food from heaven. 25)Man did deat the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance. 26)He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens and by His power He directed the south wind. 27)When He rained meat upon them like the dust, even winged fowl like the sand of the seas,28)Then He let them fall in the midst of their camp, round about their dwellings. 29)So they ate and were well filled, and their desire He gave to them. A continuation of the Exodus reading in many ways. More details on how God worked this miracle, but what I liked best is the last part where the psalmist said “and their desire He gave to them.” So they were hungry, yes. And they were fed, yes. Where does that lead us? If that is what they are grumbling about, what about other things? God gave them their desire, what do you desire?
Ephesians 4:1-16 1)Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2)with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3)being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4)There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5)one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6)one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 7)But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8)Therefore it says, “WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.” 9)(Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10)He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) 11)And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12)for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13)until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14)As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15)but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16)from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causing the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. What I see here is that when the Holy Spirit came into us through our baptism, along came specific gifts given by Christ Himself. As we dwell in the Word, pray and support one another in love, we become what is intended for us. We are fulfilled in the Spirit to build the body of Christ. Spiritual Maturity to which Art will speak to us on Sunday.
John 6:24-35 24)So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. 25)When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?” 26)Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27)”Do not work for food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” 28)Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29)Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” 30)So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? 31)”Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.’” 32)Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33)”For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” 34)Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.” 35)Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. John draws the connection and shows us how Jesus is telling all who are clamoring after Him, that the bread from heaven, that the descension of Himself is the same bread that the sons of Israel ate of, out in the land of Egypt. God shows His mercy to us, do you believe? The similarities are showing us that as we think, ponder, look up scriptures, take to heart and strive to do God’s will, we too are eating of the bread, growing closer to God and His Son. Hallelujah!
Best sure to wear your Western Best on Sunday
Through Christ, Seek God,
D.J. Schoneweis