Title: An Atkins-friendly God
Text: Matt 6:11, Numbers 11:4-20; John 6:35
FCF: Our God knows what we need even better than we do.
Intro:
As you know, we’ve been looking at the Lord’s Prayer for several weeks now, and this morning were coming to the one part of that prayer that makes me stop and think. What does the carbohydrate-hating Dr. Atkins do when he gets to the line, “Give us this day our daily bread?”
In one sense, this line is the part of the Lord’s Prayer that we probably think we understand the best. After all, when we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” it is pretty simple really. It is an acknowledgement that we have needs, and we need God to meet them.
You know, the Atkins diet is pretty controversial. It says – eat what you like. Eat the meat, not the bread. Well, I’m no doctor, so I can’t tell you whether it’s healthy or not. [I can tell you, Atkins himself was significantly overweight when he died]. But, I do know this – in the end, your body is going to know, one way or the other.
It’s said that there are no atheists in the foxhole [the trenches] – It seems pretty basic. God is all-powerful, and all-listening. We have a need, and he can meet it. We even know that he loves us.
So why is that sometimes he says, “No?”
This morning I want to suggest that the phrase “Give us this day our daily bread” contains within it an answer to that question – Why would a good God not answer prayer. In order to see it more clearly, I want to look at the role of bread [no pun intended] in Scripture.
My plan is fairly simple –
I. Bread As a Provision for the People (Numbers 11)
II. Bread As a Sign from a Loving Father (Matthew 7)
III. Bread As a Person who knows us better than we do. (John 6)
I know we’ll be jumping around a bit, but what I hope to show you is this: When God says ‘No,’ we should rejoice, because it lets us know that our God loves us even more than we know.
Bread as a Provision for the People (Numbers 11)
Now, from our Sunday School classes, we remember that when God led the Israelites out of Egypt, he fed them all along the way. I probably shouldn’t have been surprised at this, but the timing of that provision is pretty interesting.
If you think back to the book of Exodus, you remember Moses saying “Let my people go!” and the 10 plagues. You remember Yul Brenner giving in to Charlton Heston, but then changing his mind and chasing after the Israelites in his chariot – and then the famous Hollywood miracle of the parting of the Red Sea. And then you see the Children of Israel at Mount Sinai, with Moses coming down from the clouds with the law. But you know what – I had missed part of the story.
You see, no sooner had God saved the Israelites than they started complaining – “Oh, we’re going to starve out here.” The manna from heaven – that bread that God gave the Israelites every single morning except Saturday? You know when that started? The day after they crossed the Red Sea.
Now, I said that I shouldn’t have been surprised. You see, the Israelites didn’t have a lot of time to pack, so on one hand it makes sense that they needed food right away. It really only takes about 3 or 4 days to cross the Sinai Peninsula – so you probably could have done it without food, but already see what people are doing – they are doubting God’s ability to provide.
So, God gives them bread. Interestingly enough – he gives them bread even before he gives them the law. But God is good.
In both cases, God was looking out for his children. When he gave them bread, he knew that his children were weak and really needed the nutrition. When he gave them the law, he knew his children were weak, and really needed to know how to get along.
And do you know how good God is? He didn’t just give them any old bread – he gave them manna. The Bible says it tasted like cakes of coriander seed. That’s pretty yummy stuff. No stinking Wonder Sponge [I can’t bring myself to call that bread!] for these people – he was pulling it off the gourmet shelf!
So, you’d think that with God as your own personal baker, you’d be pretty satisfied, right? Well, let me skip ahead a bit to Numbers 11:4-20.
The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept again, and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”
7 Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color was like the color of gum resin. 8 The people went around and gathered it, ground it in mills or beat it in mortars, then boiled it in pots and made cakes of it; and the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. 9 When the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna would fall with it.
Yup, that’s us alright. Oh, poor, poor me!
I’ve heard it said that the United States is the only country where we can look into a full refrigerator and say, “There’s nothing to eat.” Well, we have no monopoly on that. I think just about anybody can get a Masters in Moaning.
I said God is good. Now, when I say he’s good – he’s gooood. You know – in the same way you hear it in the movies when someone just executed a masterful plan? [Bruce Almighty? I’m goooood.] God’s that good.
Well, Moses sums up what the people say they want in verse 13. The people are sick of bread. They want meat.
So God says, so, they want meat? I can give them meat. I can give them more meat than even Dr. Atkins could handle! Let me pick up in verse 16.
16 So the LORD said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their place there with you. 17 I will come down and talk with you there; and I will take some of the spirit that is on you and put it on them; and they shall bear the burden of the people along with you so that you will not bear it all by yourself. 18 And say to the people: Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wailed in the hearing of the LORD, saying, ‘If only we had meat to eat! Surely it was better for us in Egypt.’ Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall eat not only one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you—because you have rejected the LORD who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’
Aahh. If only we had meat. God, if you’d just listen to me and do what I tell you…
You want meat? I’ll give you meat. I’ll give you so much meat that it’ll come out your nose. A whole month. Nothing but meat.
Bread as a sign from a loving father (Matthew 7)
You know, sometimes we treat God like he’s a vending machine. Insert prayer, out comes what we want. But we don’t need a vending machine. We need God.
He loves us – he wants to give us everything. But if he did, would that really be loving?
I love my parents – but I know my mom. That’s why even before Rachel [my daughter] was born, we had to give her a rule. We had to limit the number of presents she could get for Rachel. Why? Because we didn’t want Rachel to become a spoiled brat!
And, frankly while my parents can afford it, I didn’t want to be a burden on them. I know grandparents don’t like to be told ‘No,’ but it makes things easier on all parties involved if you’re clear from the get-go.
You know, the ancient Greeks had a proverb you still hear today. “Be careful what you wish for – you may get your wish.” God be praised that we don’t have to worry about that. Remember, our God is good!
Earlier, we read it. “Which one of you, if your son asks for fish, will give him a snake? Or if he asks for bread, will you give him a stone?”
God knows our needs better than we do. If he says “No,” I’d listen!
Bread as a Person who knows what we need (John 6)
So then, what is it that we need? Well, we’ll pick up on this in the coming weeks, but I find it interesting that when we finally get to the point in the Lord’s Prayer where we ask for stuff, we ask for three things: We ask for bread, we ask for forgiveness, and we ask to be delivered from evil. I’d say that’s a pretty good list.
If bread is our “basic” needs, it says something that forgiveness is right after it.
Interestingly enough, in John 6, Jesus is pressed for a sign. Now, he had just fed 5000 people – but they said, “Hey – in the desert? God fed the people. If you’re God, what are you going to do for us?”
And Jesus answers them. He says, “Ok. God gave your fathers manna – bread in the wilderness, right? Guess what? They ate it, but they eventually died just like everyone else.”
You want me to provide for you? More than happy to oblige. In fact, I’ll do you one better. I am the bread of Life. You eat of me, you’ll never die.
Well, who does this Jesus guy think he is anyway? Who does he think he is? I don’t want some spiritual poppycock about eternal life! I want some bread! [In my pocket, now!] None of this “I am the Bread of Life stuff!” If that Jesus would just do what I told him to… .
My friends, if we truly believe that God is good, it should come as no surprise that our prayers aren’t always answered the way we think they should be.
When God says no – or even wait, it’s frustrating. But when we are persistent in prayer, when we continue to plead for a particular thing – our Good God knows what he’s doing. We grow!
We could settle for a vending machine God. That’s what all the other ones out there are. In Ancient Israel – Baal promised fertility; Molech promised power if you just gave him your kids. Today, the Cult of Ambition and Greed promises more money, better sex, and shinier teeth if you’ll just do the same.
If our God is good, then we have to acknowledge that he is better than us. He has a more complete picture than we do.
I’ve been praying that this church would grow for what seems like forever. So why aren’t the pews filled yet? Maybe God has a better plan. Or, maybe there has been growth? Growth can occur in two ways, you know – breadth and depth.
We’ve been praying for our loved ones who are ill. We prayed for Marvin, we pray for Marian. We want them to be with us. But maybe that’s selfish. I’m not saying we stop – but when God calls them home …
So why is it that sometimes God doesn’t answer our prayers in the way we want him to? Sometimes, we don’t have all the answers, but I know someone who does.
He’s the bread of life. I choose to partake heartily, for because of him, I have been made whole.
Would you pray with me?
For all the accusations that Christianity is a religion for the ignorant, I have to wonder why our God is so much more complex person whose motives are simply too clear. He loves us – and that’s not the way it’s supposed to be either.
Long Branch Baptist Church
Halfway, Virginia; est. 1786
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Enter to Worship
Prelude David Witt
Invocation Michael Hollinger
*Opening Hymn #76
“My Jesus, I Love Thee”
Welcome & Announcements
Morning Prayer
*Responsive Reading [See Right]
*Offertory Hymn #54
“For the Beauty of the Earth”
Offertory Mr. Witt
*Doxology
Scripture Matthew 6:11; Numbers 11:4-20
Sermon
“An Atkins-Friendly God?”
Invitation Hymn #214
“All the Way My Savior Leads Me”
Benediction
Congregational Response (Warning: It’s different!)
God is so good / God is so good / God is so good
He’s so good to me.
* Congregation, please stand.
Depart To Serve
12/3 – 5pm & 12/4 – 3pm: David Witt & Susan Hollinger solos @ M’burg Xmas
12/17 - 6pm Long Branch Christmas Caroling & Potluck Dinner
RESPONSIVE READING
Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone?
Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake?
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry.”
So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Then Jesus said to them:
Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing that he has given me, but raise it all up on the last day.
This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
- Matt 7:9-11; John 6:35, 30-33, 38-40, 34; Matt 7:7-8
