God Is Our Provider - Exodus Part 15 Series

INTRODUCTION

• In Exodus 15, God reveals Himself as a healer. In Exodus 16, God reveals Himself as a provider.

• Last week we talked about being tested. We all hate tests in school and in life. They are hard and often reveal things we don’t want to see.

• We have to get our heads around what’s going on here to get this. The Israelites were slaves, displaced people, out of their land for 400 years. 200 years as slaves.

• God is trying to free them, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.

• God miraculously takes them out of Egypt and then through the Red Sea.

• Now He is trying to build them. Disciple them into their destiny.

• Together - never just you and me Lord. Always with others.

• What influences me into my destiny isn’t just being with Him, but being with you and others.

• The manna miracle - food daily, except Sabbath.

• He was recalibrating them, resetting their thinking.

• That is why there are so many details and measurements in this story.

• He is testing them. Tests stretch us and reveal us.

• They are often specific and concise. These are.

Exodus 16:4-5, “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. 5’On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.”

I. TESTED FOR THE BASICS

• What is God testing for? Fear vs. Faith

• This is foundational, basic.

• Do you function in fear or faith?

• That was the beginning point of touching and changing these people.

• Will God take care of me?

• Is He in my business?

• How we measure things in life reveals how we feel about them and what we value.

• Vs. 13 - “What is it” = manna, Hebrew

• Vs. 14-19 - What it was, was God’s provision for them. Bread in morning and meat in the evening.

• Gather up an omer. What is that? Vs. 36 tells you! 3.5 liters

II. FLUNKING THE TEST

• Vs. 19-21 - “They did not listen.”

• This would be a good message for Mother’s Day. “They did not listen.”

• Every mother and father has given direction in an attempt to help their kids and found what?

• They did not listen!

• Easy to do isn’t it?

• We are not necessarily hard headed and hard hearted, “I’m gonna do whatever I want.”

• More often it is, “I don’t think it will work.”

• It is like that with provision. “I need more.”

• Tomorrow may not have enough.

• What does it do? Breeds worms - rots us.

• We do this with sex and it rots us. I don’t want it on God’s terms I know better.

• We do it with money. I can handle it my way and it rots us.

• They were used to being whipped, driven and now God is saying...

• You’re free, but live wisely. Only take this much, only do this.

• Your excess will rot. No, I need more!!!

III. LIVING IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS

• With God and others.

• Depend on me - God

• Work with others.

• Vs. 22-30 – Sabbath, rest = trust God

• Measure your time - week

• Learn His structure - His way

• Trust His provision. He can do more in six days than you or I can in seven.

• More than that stop, chill out, build relationships

• So many of us open up to God, but not others - small groups!!!

• This is a picture of the church – us.

• Dependence and inter-dependence

• They lived in close quarters. They knew each other well.

• Standing together is part of the deal.

• Trust - vs.16 Him together.

IV. CATCHING THE FATHER’S HEART

• At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry when He was trying to unwind a lot of bad thinking,

• He taught the same things - Matthew 5-7

• How to deal with stuff and people.

• Matthew 6:25-34

• Two lessons here: Daily discipline and personal accountability.

• Daily discipline: “Get out and get your food.”

• Personal accountability: Only do this much, don’t hoard. Trust

• They lived too close to each other to hide.

• If you’re hiding rotten manna your neighbor knew!!!

• One day a week take twice as much and it will work.

CLOSE

• This was about faith - trust

• Small groups are so important to us all - being in community.