1 October 2023
EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR A
Quarreled & Tested: For the Long Haul
The Message
17 1-2 Directed by God, the whole company of Israel moved on by stages from the Wilderness of Sin. They set camp at Rephidim. And there wasn’t a drop of water for the people to drink. The people took Moses to task: “Give us water to drink.” But Moses said, “Why pester me? Why are you testing God?”
3 But the people were thirsty for water there. They complained to Moses, “Why did you take us from Egypt and drag us out here with our children and animals to die of thirst?”
4 Moses cried out in prayer to God, “What can I do with these people? Any minute now they’ll kill me!”
5-6 God said to Moses, “Go on out ahead of the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel. Take the staff you used to strike the Nile. And go. I’m going to be present before you there on the rock at Horeb. You are to strike the rock. Water will gush out of it and the people will drink.”
6-7 Moses did what he said, with the elders of Israel right there watching. He named the place Massah (Testing-Place) and Meribah (Quarreling) because of the quarreling of the Israelites and because of their testing of God when they said, “Is God here with us, or not?”
Introduction:
Good morning, beloved congregation, and welcome to this blessed World Communion Sunday. Today, we gather as one family in Christ across nations, languages, and cultures to partake in the holy sacrament of communion. As we come together, I want to draw your attention to a powerful passage from the book of Exodus, a story that teaches us about quarreling with God and being tested.
Exodus 17:1-7 is a story of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness, which mirrors our struggles and tests. This passage reveals how the Israelites quarreled with God and faced a profound test of faith, a test that we, too, may encounter on our spiritual journey.
In Exodus 17:5-6, God instructs Moses to take the staff, strike a rock, and water will flow from it to quench the thirst of the people. This miraculous act holds profound spiritual lessons for us.
The rock in this passage symbolizes Christ, our Savior. Just as the rock provided water in the desert, Jesus provides living water for our parched souls. When we quarrel with God in our wilderness moments, we must remember that God is the source of our sustenance, our hope, and our salvation.
Moses was commanded to strike the rock, and he obeyed. This obedience is a powerful reminder that we must obey God's instructions even in moments of doubt and questioning. Obedience brings forth blessings and reveals God's faithfulness.
Let me lift three Points about the Wilderness that might help your Faith Journey.
1: We All Have Struggles In the Wilderness
As we look at the first section of our sermon today, let us reflect on the struggles of the Israelites in the wilderness. Much like our own lives, their journey was filled with uncertainty, fear, and doubt. In Exodus 17:1-7, we find the Israelites quarreling with Moses and, ultimately, with God. They were thirsty, tired, and weary and began questioning God's provision.
Jeremiah Wright once said, "Our faith is tested when we are faced with the wilderness moments of life." Church, the wilderness moments are when we feel lost, abandoned, and drained by life's challenges. In these moments, we may find ourselves quarreling with God, asking, "Why me?" and questioning God's presence in our lives.
2: We all take The Test of Faith
Now, let us move on to the second section of our sermon, focusing on the test of faith. In Exodus 17:2, the people demanded water, and they asked, "Is the Lord among us or not?" This question cuts to the core of our own struggles with faith. When we face hardships and trials, it's natural to question God's presence to wonder if God truly cares for us.
Reverend Samuel Proctor once reminded us, "Faith is not the absence of doubt, but the courage to trust God even in the midst of our doubts." The Israelites' doubt in the wilderness was a test of their faith, just as our doubts are tests of our own faith. God uses these tests to strengthen our trust and deepen our relationship.
3: God's Provision Despite Our Response
In the final section of our sermon, let us explore God's provision and our response. In Exodus 17:6, God instructed Moses to strike a rock, and water flowed forth to quench the people's thirst. Despite their doubts and quarreling, God provided for their needs.
Beloved, this passage teaches us that God's provision is not dependent on our perfect faith.
Even in our moments of doubt and questioning, God remains faithful. He provides for us, sustains us, and guides us through the wilderness of life.
There is a crucial lesson for us here. We must not let our doubts and quarrels with God hinder our relationship with Him. Instead, we should use these moments as opportunities to draw nearer to the Lord. Our response to God's provision should be one of gratitude, humility, and a renewed commitment to walk in faith.
Exodus 17:5-6, with its imagery of the struck rock, carries powerful symbolism for the Black community experience and its relationship with Jesus Christ.
The historical and contemporary struggles of the Black community parallel the Israelites' thirst and the rock's life-sustaining water. Through faith, resilience, and the advocacy of leaders, the Black community finds strength and unity, much like the living water offered by Christ. As we partake in communion, may we remember the lessons of Exodus, finding hope and inspiration in the parallel journeys of the Black community and the life-giving message of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion:
In closing, Church, let us remember the lessons from Exodus 17:1-7. The wilderness moments, the tests of faith, and God's unwavering provision are all part of our spiritual journey. Like the Israelites, we may find ourselves quarreling with God, but let us do so with the understanding that He is with us, even in our doubts.
In verse 7 of Exodus 17, Moses named the place Massah and Meribah, meaning "testing" and "quarreling" because of the quarrel of the Israelites and because they tested the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"
Beloved, we must never forget that God is always with us, even in our moments of testing and quarreling.
He is Immanuel, "God with us," and His presence is unwavering. Our faith is strengthened when we remember His faithfulness in the past.
Today, as we partake in the sacrament of communion, let us remember the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who gave His life so that we may have living water, the sustenance for our souls. Let this communion be a testament to our faith in the One who is always with us.
As we leave this sanctuary today, may we carry with us the courage to face the wilderness, the strength to endure the tests of faith, and the gratitude to acknowledge God's faithful provision in our lives. Let us walk together in faith, trusting that the Lord is indeed among us, guiding us through every trial and tribulation. Amen.
