SEE THE GLORY OF THE LORD (Outline)
EXODUS 16:2-15 - July 3, 2005 - PENTECOST 7 / NATION
INTRO: Seeing is believing. That statement implies it takes more than faith to be convinced of certain truths. The weatherman promises rain but seeing is believing. The Savior, Jesus rose from the dead. When he appeared to the disciples Thomas was not there. Thomas wanted to see the nail prints and wounds in Jesus’ hands and feet before believing. Seeing Jesus face-to-face Thomas did not need to fur-ther see the wounds caused by the nails. By grace you and I and every believer have been given a great spiritual sight, divine insight. Without seeing God face-to-face we are still privileged to see the glory of the Lord day after day. "The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned"(MATTHEW 4:16). Today we will study what it means for us to have seen a great light. In the words of today’s verses we will concentrate on Moses words as re-minds believers of God’ many promises. In doing so, we will
SEE THE GLORY OF THE LORD.
We see the glory of the Lord in the simple truths that
I. Our Lord listens.
II. Our Lord provides.
I. OUR LORD LISTENS
A. The Lord God almighty had delivered the children of Israel from the cruel hands of the Egyptians.
1. They had camped at an oasis after crossing the Red Sea. The Israelites were going to travel.
2. But in verse 2 we hear a repetitious theme. The people begin to grumble and complain.
B. Verse 3 provides the complaint. They wanted to be back in Egypt. How soon they forget slavery.
1. How soon they forget that they were not free in Egypt. They felt former slavery was better.
2. Verse 4 the Lord listens. They would have bread, food every day. They need not worry.
C. Aaron and Moses bring this good news to the people in verse 6. They would know it is the Lord.
1. Sadly, verses 7,8,9 repeat the attitude of the Israelites. It is grumbling and complaining.
2. Gladly, in spite of all of their grumbling and complaining the Lord listened – and answered.
D. Our land and our nation is a very blessed land. One might even say it is much like the Promised Land – a land flowing with milk and honey. We simply do not have an abundance of blessings but a super abundance. There is hardly anyone in our great nation who does not only have enough, but very often more than enough. Opportunities abound. God’s blessings are everywhere. But is it enough?? In the midst of seeing the Lord’s glory all around us we are all too often discontent. Our society has us looking so much ahead and preparing for the future that we often find it very difficult to live in the present. This is not a new problem. Moses also wrote in Deuteronomy these words. "In the morning you will say, ’If only it were evening!’ and in the evening, ’If only it were morning!’--because of the terror that will fill your hearts and the sights that your eyes will see"(DEUTERONOMY 28:67).
E. Much like the children of Israel our sinful nature finds it necessary for us to grumble and complain. In the midst of our grumbling and complaining we come to see that the only who can help is the Lord him-self. In the midst of despair, trouble and tribulations we soon see that we are not the ones to change our lot in life. We turn to our Lord who listens to our cries and calls for help. Even in the midst of grumbling and complaining our gracious God listens. Over and over the Lord invites us to call on him. "Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy"(PSALM 130:1,2). (See also PSALM 17:6; 18:3; 55:16,17; 61:2)
F. Miracle of miracles is the fact that our loving Lord listens to our cries for help. God never turns away from the pleadings of the believer. The fact is the Lord our God is anxious to hear all our needs. The Lord God almighty invites us to call so that he might listen. Isaiah even says that the Lord our God hears us before we even finish our prayers and thoughts (see ISAIAH 65:24). "Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I’"(ISAIAH 58:9).
TRANS: SEE THE LORD’S GLORY. The Lord’s glory is seen in his willingness to listen to our cries, even grumbling and complaining. The glory of the Lord is also seen because II. Our Lord provides.
II. OUR LORD PROVIDES.
A. Our text tells us that not a few of the children of Israel complained, but all of them grumbled.
1. In truth the desert did not look too inviting. It was dry, dusty, dirty, and desolate.
2. Still the Lord was listening and answering. In verse 10 the Israelites see the Lord’s glory.
B. None questioned the sight. By faith they saw the cloud and knew it was the glory of the Lord.
1. In verses 11, 12 the Lord repeats his promised help to Moses for the people.
2. At night the meat came in the form of quail, verse 13. The Lord provides.
C. In verse 14 the Lord miraculously provides something new. Daily bread is on the ground.
1. The Israelites would no longer need to worry about. Daily the glory of the Lord provides.
2. Verse 15a. What is it? The Hebrew words are mah + na = manna. What is it? Manna.
3. What is it? Moses says it is the Lord providing. Verse 15b. What is it? The Lord’s glory!
D. Today (July 3) we are reminded of the celebration of God’s love for us as seen in the freedoms each one of us enjoy in this promised land of the USA. Today the United States is the only super power left in the entire world. We may wonder why as we see the very basics of our Christian foundations attacked in today’s anything goes society. But this too is part of the freedom each person enjoys. We know why our nation is blessed when we consider the fact that our Lord provides for those he loves. Our gracious God provides for us as a nation and as individuals Luke tells us of the Lord’s infinite care for each of us. "In-deed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many spar-rows"(LUKE 12:7). God knows this smallest, insignificant detail about us. Our Lord provides.
E. You and I do not have a cloud representing God’s glory. There is no pillar of fire at night to show us the Lord’s glory. But you and I and every believer are to pay attention and see the glory of the Lord in the ways that God constantly provides for us. Physically we would all admit to a superabundance of the Lord’s blessings. This would also be a superabundance of the Lord’s glory to see. Most importantly the Lord is especially concerned about our spiritual welfare. We see the Lord’s glory in those things that oth-ers may not notice or may have forgotten to notice. We celebrate the power of God’s living word. We see the Lord’s glory in the power of the sacraments – baptism and the Lord’s Supper. "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world"(JOHN 6:51). See the Lord’s glory as he provides for us.
F. Have you seen the Lord’s glory lately? May our loving Lord open your eyes of faith to see it every day. May our gracious God open your eyes of faith to appreciate his glory every day. The Lord God al-mighty shows us his glory in the blessings of life, in the blessings of faith, in the blessings of freedom. The greatest freedoms you and I and every believer enjoy are the freedoms from sin, freedom from the devil and finally freedom from death itself. "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work"(2 CORINTHIANS 9:8). See the glory of the Lord as he graciously gives us all things – not a few nor some nor many – all.
CONC.: Celebrate, rejoice and praise God for every good thing that he graciously provides. The list is endless and beyond our wildest imaginations. The list of God’s blessings is evidence of the glory of the Lord. Open your eyes and SEE THE GLORY OF THE LORD! Our Lord listens and our Lord provides. We close with one of the apostle Paul’s very fitting prayers. "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen"(EPHESIANS 3:20,21).
To this we add our amen. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
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NATION Readings (ILCW) = DEUTERONOMY 6:4-7, 17; ROMANS 13:1-7; MATTHEW 22:15-22
