0:00:00.599,0:00:03.839 Ok, if you open with me in your Bibles 0:00:03.839,0:00:08.226 to Exodus 16. 0:00:08.226,0:00:12.437 I'm not going to read it beforehand. 0:00:12.437,0:00:17.755 We're just going to make comments 0:00:17.755,0:00:19.104 as we go, 0:00:19.104,0:00:26.992 and bring out points there as we go. 0:00:26.992,0:00:29.601 The title of this sermons is, 0:00:29.601,0:00:31.812 "Grumbling is Contagious 0:00:31.812,0:00:38.573 and the Remedy For It." 0:00:38.573,0:00:40.509 We've been going through Exodus 0:00:40.509,0:00:44.390 back home in Manchester. 0:00:44.390,0:00:47.446 And every sermon's about 0:00:47.446,0:00:48.922 grumbling and murmuring now 0:00:48.922,0:00:50.422 because once they leave Egypt, 0:00:50.422,0:00:52.176 that's all they ever do 0:00:52.176,0:00:55.905 on the way to the Promised Land. 0:00:55.905,0:01:01.970 So, let's pray. 0:01:01.970,0:01:04.669 Our Father, 0:01:04.669,0:01:06.420 we ask that You should show us 0:01:06.420,0:01:07.966 wonderous things from Your law, 0:01:07.966,0:01:12.707 from Your Word this morning. 0:01:12.707,0:01:14.786 That this text would be real to us 0:01:14.786,0:01:16.533 and helpful to us to live 0:01:16.533,0:01:18.052 for Your glory. 0:01:18.052,0:01:23.586 Search our hearts. 0:01:23.586,0:01:24.735 Help us, we ask. 0:01:24.735,0:01:26.527 In Jesus' name, 0:01:26.527,0:01:31.975 Amen. 0:01:31.975,0:01:37.084 Ok, so, in v. 1 then of Exodus 16, 0:01:37.084,0:01:40.423 we read, "They..." that is the Israelites, 0:01:40.423,0:01:44.236 of course, "...set out from Elim, 0:01:44.236,0:01:47.174 and all the congregation of the people 0:01:47.174,0:01:51.282 of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, 0:01:51.282,0:01:55.212 which is between Elim and Sinai..." 0:01:55.212,0:01:57.072 And this wilderness of Sin 0:01:57.072,0:01:58.572 where they are now, 0:01:58.572,0:02:00.480 it has nothing to do 0:02:00.480,0:02:01.887 with the English word "sin," 0:02:01.887,0:02:04.737 although as we'll see in a moment, 0:02:04.737,0:02:06.634 they do a lot of sinning 0:02:06.634,0:02:08.198 while they're here. 0:02:08.198,0:02:09.495 But it's simply called this 0:02:09.495,0:02:13.102 because they're in the Sinai region. 0:02:13.102,0:02:16.398 "On the fifteenth day of the second month 0:02:16.398,0:02:18.140 after they had departed 0:02:18.140,0:02:22.592 from the land of Egypt..." 0:02:22.592,0:02:24.607 We're simply being told this 0:02:24.607,0:02:26.408 because they left on the 15th day 0:02:26.408,0:02:27.700 of the first month, 0:02:27.700,0:02:30.964 so what we're being told in that detail 0:02:30.964,0:02:34.660 is this happens now exactly one month 0:02:34.660,0:02:37.393 since they left Egypt 0:02:37.393,0:02:39.454 since they were delivered from the slavery 0:02:39.454,0:02:41.480 and bondage there 0:02:41.480,0:02:44.763 going through the Red Sea, of course. 0:02:44.763,0:02:46.882 And v. 2 continues, 0:02:46.882,0:02:49.876 "...the whole congregation [br]of the people of Israel 0:02:49.876,0:02:52.408 grumbled against Moses and Aaron 0:02:52.408,0:02:55.412 in the wilderness." 0:02:55.412,0:02:57.612 And so the wording here 0:02:57.612,0:03:00.266 with the whole congregation grumbling 0:03:00.266,0:03:02.089 against Moses and Aaron, 0:03:02.089,0:03:04.046 it's highlighting a contrast 0:03:04.046,0:03:07.880 between in the previous chapter, 0:03:07.880,0:03:12.135 we saw it said the people grumbled 0:03:12.135,0:03:15.416 against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. 0:03:15.416,0:03:18.538 That time, an angry mob of people 0:03:18.538,0:03:20.464 in the congregation - 0:03:20.464,0:03:23.375 in the midst, were grumbling 0:03:23.375,0:03:25.303 when they went through the trial there 0:03:25.303,0:03:27.503 of not having any water 0:03:27.503,0:03:31.341 that the murmuring that was at Marah. 0:03:31.341,0:03:32.914 Whereas this time, 0:03:32.914,0:03:35.676 now it's the whole congregation - 0:03:35.676,0:03:37.343 or at least the majority of them 0:03:37.343,0:03:39.093 are now grumbling, murmuring 0:03:39.093,0:03:41.000 against Moses and Aaron. 0:03:41.000,0:03:42.518 So now what we have is 0:03:42.518,0:03:45.339 a full-blown rebellion. 0:03:45.339,0:03:47.875 And so, the first application - 0:03:47.875,0:03:51.604 the first point I want you to take note of 0:03:51.604,0:03:54.693 here and learn from in this passage 0:03:54.693,0:03:56.828 is that grumbling and murmuring 0:03:56.828,0:04:00.011 is contagious. 0:04:00.011,0:04:01.605 Grumbling and murmuring 0:04:01.605,0:04:03.511 is like a disease 0:04:03.511,0:04:06.109 that if you're around it long enough, 0:04:06.109,0:04:09.543 then you're going to catch it. 0:04:09.543,0:04:13.447 You know, people think of this murmuring 0:04:13.447,0:04:16.691 and grumbling and being divisive there 0:04:16.691,0:04:18.805 as just being a little thing, 0:04:18.805,0:04:20.647 but in Proverbs 6 it's 0:04:20.647,0:04:23.593 one of the six things the Lord hates; 0:04:23.593,0:04:26.659 the seven that are an abomination to Him - 0:04:26.659,0:04:30.545 he who sows discord among the brethren. 0:04:30.545,0:04:34.015 You see, when you murmur and grumble 0:04:34.015,0:04:36.278 in a bad way like these are doing here, 0:04:36.278,0:04:38.343 what happens is you sow discord - 0:04:38.343,0:04:42.216 you plant a seed in others. 0:04:42.216,0:04:44.315 And so when you're around 0:04:44.315,0:04:46.107 whiners and murmurers long enough 0:04:46.107,0:04:49.432 they will plant the seed in us. 0:04:49.432,0:04:54.494 And another point worth noting here 0:04:54.494,0:04:58.775 is that the last time they were grumbling 0:04:58.775,0:05:00.987 when it was just less of them, 0:05:00.987,0:05:02.620 they faced a much bigger trial 0:05:02.620,0:05:05.067 of having no water. 0:05:05.067,0:05:07.322 And it was just a large mob 0:05:07.322,0:05:10.947 of murmurers among the congregation 0:05:10.947,0:05:18.386 in this faithless state of rebellion. 0:05:18.386,0:05:20.173 And last time, 0:05:20.173,0:05:21.695 the rebellious grumblers - 0:05:21.695,0:05:23.700 they were shown to be wrong 0:05:23.700,0:05:24.909 in what happened there 0:05:24.909,0:05:27.726 in the events of Marah. 0:05:27.726,0:05:30.434 But when the next trial comes along, 0:05:30.434,0:05:32.361 even though as we'll see in a moment, 0:05:32.361,0:05:33.731 this is nothing compared to 0:05:33.731,0:05:35.809 the previous trial they've had. 0:05:35.809,0:05:37.403 You see, the seed of discord 0:05:37.403,0:05:40.115 has already been planted in them. 0:05:40.115,0:05:42.260 And so now the whole congregation 0:05:42.260,0:05:46.542 are murmuring against Moses and Aaron. 0:05:46.542,0:05:48.211 Yet, the people here, no doubt, 0:05:48.211,0:05:51.126 being led by a few chief grumblers 0:05:51.126,0:05:53.966 amongst them, stirring things up, 0:05:53.966,0:05:56.628 in there, 0:05:56.628,0:05:58.744 starting to complain. 0:05:58.744,0:05:59.998 Moses and Aaron - 0:05:59.998,0:06:01.448 and this is what you get; 0:06:01.448,0:06:02.703 you get a theme of this 0:06:02.703,0:06:04.801 as they're on the way [br]to the Promised Land. 0:06:04.801,0:06:05.973 Moses and Aaron, 0:06:05.973,0:06:07.500 if you were really leading us 0:06:07.500,0:06:09.179 in the correct way, 0:06:09.179,0:06:10.904 before the Lord, 0:06:10.904,0:06:14.414 then we wouldn't be facing another trial. 0:06:14.414,0:06:16.869 I mean, this is just too many times now, 0:06:16.869,0:06:19.915 Moses and Aaron. 0:06:19.915,0:06:21.422 They're saying, look, Moses, 0:06:21.422,0:06:23.339 I'm the expert on how to do things 0:06:23.339,0:06:24.673 around here. 0:06:24.673,0:06:26.285 And if you don't change the way 0:06:26.285,0:06:28.018 you're doing things to what I say, 0:06:28.018,0:06:29.960 then we're going to face another trial. 0:06:29.960,0:06:30.932 We've had no water. 0:06:30.932,0:06:33.458 And then, we've had the lack of food 0:06:33.458,0:06:34.849 and the different trials. 0:06:34.849,0:06:37.860 There's one trial after another. 0:06:37.860,0:06:39.372 But the thing is, 0:06:39.372,0:06:41.630 Moses and Aaron are taking them the way 0:06:41.630,0:06:44.156 that God has told them. 0:06:44.156,0:06:47.412 And trials are guaranteed 0:06:47.412,0:06:48.807 on the Christian's journey 0:06:48.807,0:06:52.742 through the wilderness of this life. 0:06:52.742,0:06:56.968 You see, the grumbling will only continue 0:06:56.968,0:06:59.226 unless these people's hearts are changed 0:06:59.226,0:07:00.989 and they learn from this, 0:07:00.989,0:07:04.013 which is what I want us to do today. 0:07:04.013,0:07:06.855 You know, recently, it wasn't too long ago 0:07:06.855,0:07:07.668 was it? 0:07:07.668,0:07:10.193 They had the Zika virus in Brazil. 0:07:10.193,0:07:12.784 And history is filled, isn't it, 0:07:12.784,0:07:15.706 with highly contagious diseases 0:07:15.706,0:07:17.106 like the bubonic plague, 0:07:17.106,0:07:19.048 the Black Death there. 0:07:19.048,0:07:22.451 Well, you see, when you [br]put your arms around 0:07:22.451,0:07:25.193 and you give air to constant grumbling 0:07:25.193,0:07:27.035 and the hypercritical spirit - 0:07:27.035,0:07:29.041 always hypercritical of everything - 0:07:29.041,0:07:30.639 you know the person who's always 0:07:30.639,0:07:32.290 tearing everything down, 0:07:32.290,0:07:34.418 it's like putting your arm around someone 0:07:34.418,0:07:36.830 with the bubonic plague. 0:07:36.830,0:07:38.492 Or putting your arm around someone 0:07:38.492,0:07:39.818 with the Zika virus there 0:07:39.818,0:07:41.706 and saying let's go for a walk together 0:07:41.706,0:07:45.632 among these mosquitos. 0:07:45.632,0:07:47.646 So, number one, the point here 0:07:47.646,0:07:49.036 in this enlarging 0:07:49.036,0:07:50.764 is grumbling - 0:07:50.764,0:07:54.640 this hypercritical spirit is contagious. 0:07:54.640,0:07:56.851 You know, in these days we live in, 0:07:56.851,0:07:59.548 there's all these Internet ministries - 0:07:59.548,0:08:01.443 not a good one like you have here, 0:08:01.443,0:08:03.673 but there are these really bad ones 0:08:03.673,0:08:04.760 out there aren't they, 0:08:04.760,0:08:06.743 with these hypercritical teachers? 0:08:06.743,0:08:08.113 It's normally some guy 0:08:08.113,0:08:10.615 and he's sat in his bedroom there, 0:08:10.615,0:08:11.816 giving Bible studies. 0:08:11.816,0:08:13.051 They don't have a church 0:08:13.051,0:08:15.907 because they've kind of already upset 0:08:15.907,0:08:19.510 every single person in the world. 0:08:19.510,0:08:22.294 And it's so-called discernment ministries. 0:08:22.294,0:08:25.555 But what is the fruit of these things? 0:08:25.555,0:08:28.071 The fruit of their disciples [br]who watch them 0:08:28.071,0:08:30.962 is they also become professional grumblers 0:08:30.962,0:08:34.170 and professionals with [br]a hypercritical spirit also. 0:08:34.170,0:08:36.712 So number one, the first warning 0:08:36.712,0:08:38.406 about grumbling here is it's 0:08:38.406,0:08:41.116 a highly contagious disease. 0:08:41.116,0:08:41.995 So beware. 0:08:41.995,0:08:44.902 It may go down like a tasty trifle 0:08:44.902,0:08:46.366 as the Proverbs says, 0:08:46.366,0:08:49.058 but don't trifle with it. 0:08:49.058,0:08:51.035 Number two though, 0:08:51.035,0:08:53.358 this really comes out in this text. 0:08:53.358,0:08:55.803 Grumbling and a murmuring spirit 0:08:55.803,0:08:58.527 distorts the past. 0:08:58.527,0:09:01.342 We can see this in v. 3 here, can't we? 0:09:01.342,0:09:04.843 "And the people of Israel said to them, 0:09:04.843,0:09:06.708 (to Moses and Aaron) 0:09:06.708,0:09:08.454 'Would that we had died 0:09:08.454,0:09:09.914 by the hand of the Lord 0:09:09.914,0:09:11.290 in the land of Egypt 0:09:11.290,0:09:13.432 when we sat by the meat pots 0:09:13.432,0:09:17.926 and ate bread to the full.'" 0:09:17.926,0:09:20.645 Notice here, it's been one month. 0:09:20.645,0:09:21.907 One month. That's all, 0:09:21.907,0:09:25.592 since they left Egypt. 0:09:25.592,0:09:27.041 And in their grumbling spirit, 0:09:27.041,0:09:28.327 they've already forgotten 0:09:28.327,0:09:30.588 about their heavy labor there 0:09:30.588,0:09:32.337 where they had to make the bricks 0:09:32.337,0:09:34.290 and they even had to gather 0:09:34.290,0:09:36.072 their own straw 0:09:36.072,0:09:37.617 to make the bricks with. 0:09:37.617,0:09:39.241 They've forgotten about the whips 0:09:39.241,0:09:40.316 upon their backs 0:09:40.316,0:09:42.453 and the chains in Egypt. 0:09:42.453,0:09:44.449 Just after a month. 0:09:44.449,0:09:46.368 And now they're saying here, 0:09:46.368,0:09:47.744 "... in the land of Egypt 0:09:47.744,0:09:49.728 when we sat by the meat pots 0:09:49.728,0:09:52.258 and ate bread to the full." 0:09:52.258,0:09:55.502 You see, in their distorted reality 0:09:55.502,0:09:57.078 they now hold of the past - 0:09:57.078,0:09:59.124 which grumbling paints - 0:09:59.124,0:10:00.820 they now have this false picture 0:10:00.820,0:10:02.742 in their mind of when they're in Egypt. 0:10:02.742,0:10:04.414 You know, as if they were sat down 0:10:04.414,0:10:06.369 in comfort each day. 0:10:06.369,0:10:09.037 Like, darling, would you pass me 0:10:09.037,0:10:14.173 another burger from the barby, please? 0:10:14.173,0:10:19.213 Would you like some chicken with that? 0:10:19.213,0:10:20.792 And they say here, 0:10:20.792,0:10:22.553 "would that we had died 0:10:22.553,0:10:23.956 by the hand of the Lord 0:10:23.956,0:10:26.340 in the land of Egypt." 0:10:26.340,0:10:27.263 In other words, 0:10:27.263,0:10:28.727 we could have continued 0:10:28.727,0:10:30.995 a happy and a comfortable life 0:10:30.995,0:10:32.546 until we died of old age, 0:10:32.546,0:10:36.172 of natural causes there. 0:10:36.172,0:10:39.262 But what really happened? 0:10:39.262,0:10:41.803 You see how distorted the picture 0:10:41.803,0:10:43.954 of the past that grumbling paints. 0:10:43.954,0:10:45.300 I mean, what really happened 0:10:45.300,0:10:47.044 when they were back in Egypt? 0:10:47.044,0:10:49.073 We get told earlier 0:10:49.073,0:10:57.962 that what happened was the people groaned. 0:10:57.962,0:11:00.884 They groaned because of [br]their slavery there, 0:11:00.884,0:11:03.125 and they cried out for help. 0:11:03.125,0:11:04.461 And their cry for rescue 0:11:04.461,0:11:06.714 came up to the Lord. 0:11:06.714,0:11:09.442 So, as well as being contagious, 0:11:09.442,0:11:12.333 the second danger of 0:11:12.333,0:11:15.723 a grumbling, hypercritical spirit here 0:11:15.723,0:11:17.314 we learn in this passage is 0:11:17.314,0:11:19.713 grumbling and murmuring distorts 0:11:19.713,0:11:21.008 the past. 0:11:21.008,0:11:22.950 It has to to carry on. 0:11:22.950,0:11:24.719 Kevin DeYoung said on this - 0:11:24.719,0:11:26.737 I think this is a good quote - 0:11:26.737,0:11:27.637 he said, 0:11:27.637,0:11:30.347 "We tend to remember a golden age 0:11:30.347,0:11:32.904 that didn't really exist. 0:11:32.904,0:11:36.085 The good old days weren't always so good. 0:11:36.085,0:11:38.403 Listen, if you tend to complain 0:11:38.403,0:11:40.065 about everything now, 0:11:40.065,0:11:41.784 chances are that you complained 0:11:41.784,0:11:43.909 about everything back then 0:11:43.909,0:11:46.741 whenever it was." 0:11:46.741,0:11:49.150 You see, for grumbling and murmuring 0:11:49.150,0:11:50.974 to continue, it relies upon 0:11:50.974,0:11:54.917 a distortion of past reality. 0:11:54.917,0:11:56.293 But number three, 0:11:56.293,0:11:58.225 another thing we learn about this 0:11:58.225,0:11:59.289 from this passage is 0:11:59.289,0:12:01.881 grumbling and murmuring exaggerates 0:12:01.881,0:12:05.523 the present and the future woes. 0:12:05.523,0:12:07.805 We see this in the next part of v. 3 0:12:07.805,0:12:11.818 here when they accuse Moses and Aaron. 0:12:11.818,0:12:13.852 "For you have brought us out 0:12:13.852,0:12:16.536 into the wilderness to kill 0:12:16.536,0:12:20.701 this whole assembly with hunger." 0:12:20.701,0:12:23.304 Ahhh, they say. 0:12:23.304,0:12:25.373 You've brought us all to kill us now. 0:12:25.373,0:12:29.793 We're all going to die. 0:12:29.793,0:12:32.495 Brethren, you know, aside from the fact 0:12:32.495,0:12:34.404 they have just seen 0:12:34.404,0:12:36.478 the Lord's provision in providing them 0:12:36.478,0:12:37.804 the water. 0:12:37.804,0:12:39.266 In fact, aside from the fact 0:12:39.266,0:12:40.593 that they've just seen 0:12:40.593,0:12:43.630 the Lord's faithfulness many, many times. 0:12:43.630,0:12:46.039 And so they have no reason to panic 0:12:46.039,0:12:49.200 in this here. 0:12:49.200,0:12:51.508 But, I want you to consider 0:12:51.508,0:12:55.172 how exaggerated this trial is here. 0:12:55.172,0:12:57.775 Because when they left Egypt, 0:12:57.775,0:13:00.622 did they not leave with [br]all their livestock? 0:13:00.622,0:13:02.945 Their flocks and their animals there. 0:13:02.945,0:13:05.017 Could they not get some milk and cheese 0:13:05.017,0:13:07.219 from their cows? 0:13:07.219,0:13:09.224 If they're that desperate for meat, 0:13:09.224,0:13:11.650 could they not slaughter an animal 0:13:11.650,0:13:14.222 and roast it? 0:13:14.222,0:13:16.296 You see, the point is that grumblers 0:13:16.296,0:13:19.979 exaggerate their misery. 0:13:19.979,0:13:22.599 And it's very easy to see, isn't it? 0:13:22.599,0:13:24.124 I mean, you just think, 0:13:24.124,0:13:26.738 in our own lives, 0:13:26.738,0:13:29.003 when we've fallen into this sinful state 0:13:29.003,0:13:31.887 of grumbling or murmuring, 0:13:31.887,0:13:33.125 when you think back now, 0:13:33.125,0:13:36.428 was it as bad as you made out back then? 0:13:36.428,0:13:39.575 Was all the panic really worth it? 0:13:39.575,0:13:41.786 And the fourth thing we can learn 0:13:41.786,0:13:43.360 about this though - 0:13:43.360,0:13:47.389 this state of murmuring from this passage, 0:13:47.389,0:13:52.855 is that it's really murmuring against God. 0:13:52.855,0:13:54.766 We see this in v. 7 when Moses 0:13:54.766,0:13:58.669 replies to them after God spoke to him: 0:13:58.669,0:14:00.913 "And in the morning, you shall see 0:14:00.913,0:14:02.241 the glory of the Lord 0:14:02.241,0:14:05.375 because He has heard your grumbling 0:14:05.375,0:14:08.635 against the Lord." 0:14:08.635,0:14:09.846 You see, these people, 0:14:09.846,0:14:11.333 they were kidding themselves 0:14:11.333,0:14:13.093 that their constant grumbling 0:14:13.093,0:14:15.768 and their whining was [br]against Moses and Aaron 0:14:15.768,0:14:18.117 and their leadership there. 0:14:18.117,0:14:19.771 But ultimately, 0:14:19.771,0:14:21.879 their murmuring was against God. 0:14:21.879,0:14:23.739 It is God Who was the One 0:14:23.739,0:14:26.336 they had the problem with. 0:14:26.336,0:14:29.028 As Moses continues to say there in v. 7, 0:14:29.028,0:14:31.504 "...for what are we that you grumble 0:14:31.504,0:14:33.061 against us?" 0:14:33.061,0:14:34.790 For what are we that you grumble 0:14:34.790,0:14:36.268 against us? Moses says. 0:14:36.268,0:14:37.573 In other words, Moses tells 0:14:37.573,0:14:39.147 these people here, 0:14:39.147,0:14:41.090 don't shoot the messenger. 0:14:41.090,0:14:42.744 I'm only telling you what 0:14:42.744,0:14:44.509 the Word of the Lord has said - 0:14:44.509,0:14:45.959 what the Bible says. 0:14:45.959,0:14:47.581 If you've got a problem with this, 0:14:47.581,0:14:49.597 then your problem's not with me, 0:14:49.597,0:14:51.499 it's with God. 0:14:51.499,0:14:52.973 And then in v. 8, 0:14:52.973,0:14:54.791 Moses said, "the Lord gives you 0:14:54.791,0:14:56.837 in the evening meat to eat 0:14:56.837,0:14:59.617 and in the morning, bread to the full 0:14:59.617,0:15:01.377 because the Lord has heard 0:15:01.377,0:15:05.631 your grumbling that [br]you grumble against Him. 0:15:05.631,0:15:06.795 What are we? 0:15:06.795,0:15:08.487 Your grumbling is not against us, 0:15:08.487,0:15:11.827 but against the Lord." 0:15:11.827,0:15:13.581 You see in grumbling against Moses, 0:15:13.581,0:15:14.524 their pastor here - 0:15:14.524,0:15:16.529 when he's only trying to do right 0:15:16.529,0:15:18.218 before the Lord. 0:15:18.218,0:15:19.999 They're grumbling against the Lord. 0:15:19.999,0:15:22.102 He's just the messenger leading 0:15:22.102,0:15:25.388 as the Lord has told him to do. 0:15:25.388,0:15:31.703 You see, 0:15:31.703,0:15:34.315 when these people are murmuring here, 0:15:34.315,0:15:35.852 and saying Moses and Aaron - 0:15:35.852,0:15:37.418 they don't really care about us 0:15:37.418,0:15:39.110 or the leadership is harsh, 0:15:39.110,0:15:40.656 or whatever they're saying - 0:15:40.656,0:15:43.485 many different things you can put in here. 0:15:43.485,0:15:44.836 But what they really believe 0:15:44.836,0:15:46.440 is God is harsh. 0:15:46.440,0:15:48.748 Or God is guilty of whatever. 0:15:48.748,0:15:50.622 And He's the One Who doesn't care, 0:15:50.622,0:15:53.765 because it's His Word Moses and Aaron 0:15:53.765,0:15:56.394 are following here, you see. 0:15:56.394,0:15:59.365 So, those are the dangers then 0:15:59.365,0:16:03.304 of a grumbling spirit in this passage. 0:16:03.304,0:16:04.981 It's contagious. 0:16:04.981,0:16:06.209 It distorts the past. 0:16:06.209,0:16:08.119 It exaggerates the future woes. 0:16:08.119,0:16:11.636 And it has to depend on those things. 0:16:11.636,0:16:13.458 But now for the remedy, 0:16:13.458,0:16:16.636 also in this passage. 0:16:16.636,0:16:18.195 If you want to sum it up though, 0:16:18.195,0:16:19.254 it's basically this. 0:16:19.254,0:16:20.848 This is the remedy for grumbling 0:16:20.848,0:16:21.714 and murmuring. 0:16:21.714,0:16:24.182 Repent and trust the Lord. 0:16:24.182,0:16:26.175 You know, when you go to see a doctor, 0:16:26.175,0:16:28.224 he or she will normally 0:16:28.224,0:16:30.320 write out for you a prescription 0:16:30.320,0:16:32.196 that tells you what you need to do 0:16:32.196,0:16:33.332 in order to get better. 0:16:33.332,0:16:36.356 You need to take this "x" number of times 0:16:36.356,0:16:37.520 a day and so forth. 0:16:37.520,0:16:39.587 Refrain from doing this. 0:16:39.587,0:16:41.494 You see, this is God's prescription 0:16:41.494,0:16:43.841 for the disease of a murmuring 0:16:43.841,0:16:46.232 or hypercritical spirit here. 0:16:46.232,0:16:48.703 Repent and trust the Lord. 0:16:48.703,0:16:50.935 From v. 4, it says, 0:16:50.935,0:16:52.543 "Then the Lord said to Moses, 0:16:52.543,0:16:54.727 'Behold, I am about to rain 0:16:54.727,0:16:57.047 bread from heaven for you, 0:16:57.047,0:16:58.548 and the people shall go out 0:16:58.548,0:17:02.589 and gather a day's portion every day 0:17:02.589,0:17:04.347 that I may test them 0:17:04.347,0:17:07.358 whether they walk in My law or not. 0:17:07.358,0:17:08.860 On the sixth day, 0:17:08.860,0:17:11.279 when they prepare what they bring in, 0:17:11.279,0:17:13.814 it will be twice as much [br]as they gather daily.' 0:17:13.814,0:17:15.483 So Moses and Aaron said 0:17:15.483,0:17:17.000 to all the people of Israel, 0:17:17.000,0:17:19.786 'At evening, you shall know 0:17:19.786,0:17:22.015 that it was the Lord Who brought you out 0:17:22.015,0:17:24.155 of the land of Egypt.'" 0:17:24.155,0:17:26.216 I want you to notice that phrase there 0:17:26.216,0:17:29.573 in God providing the provision for them. 0:17:29.573,0:17:31.894 He says so that you shall know 0:17:31.894,0:17:33.254 Who He is. 0:17:33.254,0:17:35.379 You shall know Who is the Lord. 0:17:35.379,0:17:38.889 You see, that's the remedy. 0:17:38.889,0:17:40.787 We know Who the Lord is. 0:17:40.787,0:17:42.366 You see, when someone falls into 0:17:42.366,0:17:44.980 a state of murmuring [br]and grumbling like this, 0:17:44.980,0:17:46.642 they've either forgotten 0:17:46.642,0:17:48.535 or they never knew in the first place 0:17:48.535,0:17:51.640 Who God is. 0:17:51.640,0:17:54.634 And then in v. 9-12, we read, 0:17:54.634,0:17:56.556 "Moses said to Aaron, 0:17:56.556,0:17:58.148 'say to the whole congregation, 0:17:58.148,0:17:59.713 the people of Israel, 0:17:59.713,0:18:02.288 'Come near before the Lord, 0:18:02.288,0:18:05.224 for He has heard your grumbling,' 0:18:05.224,0:18:07.167 and as soon as Aaron spoke 0:18:07.167,0:18:08.618 to the whole congregation 0:18:08.618,0:18:09.861 of the people of Israel, 0:18:09.861,0:18:11.465 they looked toward the wilderness 0:18:11.465,0:18:13.887 and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared 0:18:13.887,0:18:14.999 in the cloud, 0:18:14.999,0:18:16.502 and the Lord said to Moses, 0:18:16.502,0:18:18.731 'I have heard the grumbling of the people 0:18:18.731,0:18:20.237 of Israel. Say to them 0:18:20.237,0:18:22.047 at twilight, you shall eat meat. 0:18:22.047,0:18:23.467 And in the morning, you shall 0:18:23.467,0:18:24.861 be filled with bread. 0:18:24.861,0:18:30.783 Then you shall know that [br]I am the Lord your God.'" 0:18:30.783,0:18:35.251 You see, God provides their need here 0:18:35.251,0:18:38.295 in order that you shall know Who God is. 0:18:38.295,0:18:41.681 You shall know what God is like. 0:18:41.681,0:18:45.665 And so, the first thing God gives them 0:18:45.665,0:18:50.271 in this passage is a remedy, if you like. 0:18:50.271,0:18:52.688 In the remedy, to trust Him, 0:18:52.688,0:18:56.803 the Lord teaches them about His character. 0:18:56.803,0:18:59.130 In order that they my trust the Lord, 0:18:59.130,0:19:01.273 He teaches them about His character here - 0:19:01.273,0:19:02.299 what He's like. 0:19:02.299,0:19:04.568 And the first thing He teaches them 0:19:04.568,0:19:07.388 in providing is His patience, 0:19:07.388,0:19:10.241 isn't it, brethren? 0:19:10.241,0:19:14.162 I mean, notice the expected response 0:19:14.162,0:19:17.623 from the Lord here to their grumbling. 0:19:17.623,0:19:20.399 After all, you see them one time 0:19:20.399,0:19:22.554 after another just shove 0:19:22.554,0:19:27.205 His mercy in the Lord's face, so to speak, 0:19:27.205,0:19:29.072 and despise it and carry on grumbling 0:19:29.072,0:19:31.381 one time after another. 0:19:31.381,0:19:34.420 The kind of natural response you'd expect 0:19:34.420,0:19:36.581 is the Lord to rain down fire from heaven 0:19:36.581,0:19:38.373 upon these people. 0:19:38.373,0:19:41.094 Saying look, I've had [br]enough of you this time. 0:19:41.094,0:19:42.742 But here we see, the first thing 0:19:42.742,0:19:45.818 God teaches them is His patience. 0:19:45.818,0:19:48.378 That He is long suffering towards them. 0:19:48.378,0:19:53.809 That He is slow to anger. 0:19:53.809,0:19:56.164 When you realize these [br]things about the Lord, 0:19:56.164,0:19:58.531 it's going to help you[br]to trust Him, isn't it? 0:19:58.531,0:19:59.868 But the second thing 0:19:59.868,0:20:02.428 that God teaches them here about Himself 0:20:02.428,0:20:04.908 in a remedy, if you like, to grumbling 0:20:04.908,0:20:06.820 so they can learn to trust Him 0:20:06.820,0:20:09.039 is that He cares for them 0:20:09.039,0:20:12.407 and He provides for their needs. 0:20:12.407,0:20:16.739 You see, the grumbling [br]and murmuring spirit 0:20:16.739,0:20:20.099 thinks God doesn't care enough for them 0:20:20.099,0:20:21.678 and won't provide. 0:20:21.678,0:20:24.088 So they think they have to be anxious 0:20:24.088,0:20:25.779 about the future, 0:20:25.779,0:20:29.234 exaggerating present woes 0:20:29.234,0:20:31.779 of what might be. 0:20:31.779,0:20:34.037 From v. 13, look at 0:20:34.037,0:20:36.124 the Lord's care and provision here. 0:20:36.124,0:20:37.918 It says, "In the evening, 0:20:37.918,0:20:40.668 quail came upon and covered the camp. 0:20:40.668,0:20:43.924 And in the morning, dew [br]lay around the camp." 0:20:43.924,0:20:46.285 The Lord provided them meat to eat 0:20:46.285,0:20:47.453 there in the quail. 0:20:47.453,0:20:50.480 V. 14, "And when the dew had gone up, 0:20:50.480,0:20:52.814 there was on the face of the wilderness 0:20:52.814,0:20:54.970 a fine flake-like thing, 0:20:54.970,0:20:57.410 fine as frost on the ground. 0:20:57.410,0:20:59.874 When the people of Israel saw it, 0:20:59.874,0:21:01.258 they said to one another, 0:21:01.258,0:21:02.734 'what is it?' 0:21:02.734,0:21:05.593 They did not know what it was. 0:21:05.593,0:21:07.514 And Moses said to them, 0:21:07.514,0:21:09.362 'It is the bread that the Lord 0:21:09.362,0:21:11.972 has given you to eat.'" 0:21:11.972,0:21:14.479 So the Lord - He gives them this manna, 0:21:14.479,0:21:16.540 this bread 0:21:16.540,0:21:19.901 which miraculously appears on the ground. 0:21:19.901,0:21:23.285 In the original, it's a [br]play on words here. 0:21:23.285,0:21:26.097 They named this bread that God 0:21:26.097,0:21:29.097 miraculously provided: manna. 0:21:29.097,0:21:33.589 The word manna means "what is it?" 0:21:33.589,0:21:35.515 And so they named this bread "manna" 0:21:35.515,0:21:36.982 because when they first saw it 0:21:36.982,0:21:37.778 on the ground, 0:21:37.778,0:21:40.307 they said, "what is it?" 0:21:40.307,0:21:43.937 And so they called it, "what is it?" 0:21:43.937,0:21:46.574 You can imagine their conversations 0:21:46.574,0:21:50.071 in the houses, the tents, can't you? 0:21:50.071,0:21:53.965 You know, mom, what are [br]we having for tea tonight? 0:21:53.965,0:21:55.229 Well, you don't say tea, 0:21:55.229,0:21:59.520 is it supper down here? Or dinner? 0:21:59.520,0:22:00.640 What are we having? 0:22:00.640,0:22:02.708 We're having "what is it?" 0:22:02.708,0:22:04.191 No, what is it? 0:22:04.191,0:22:05.888 Yeah, that's what I'm asking you. 0:22:05.888,0:22:09.572 What is it? 0:22:09.572,0:22:11.429 But look here, look at 0:22:11.429,0:22:13.099 the Lord's provision and care. 0:22:13.099,0:22:17.336 From v. 16, it continues, 0:22:17.336,0:22:19.450 Then as the Lord commanded them, 0:22:19.450,0:22:22.104 "Gather of it each one of you 0:22:22.104,0:22:24.249 as much as he can eat. 0:22:24.249,0:22:26.104 You shall take an omer..." 0:22:26.104,0:22:28.010 There's a bit of debate about the size, 0:22:28.010,0:22:30.354 but I believe it's about two liters. 0:22:30.354,0:22:33.104 "...according to the number of persons 0:22:33.104,0:22:38.565 that each of you have in his tent." 0:22:38.565,0:22:40.911 So, they're all living in tents 0:22:40.911,0:22:42.336 as I said. 0:22:42.336,0:22:44.571 When I preached on this at home, 0:22:44.571,0:22:46.498 we have a church camping holiday, 0:22:46.498,0:22:48.086 and there was a lot of protest. 0:22:48.086,0:22:49.764 We don't want a camping holiday. 0:22:49.764,0:22:50.890 We don't like camping. 0:22:50.890,0:22:52.954 So I said, look, if you [br]don't like camping, 0:22:52.954,0:22:56.374 you're not biblical. 0:22:56.374,0:22:58.046 But v. 17 though, 0:22:58.046,0:23:00.985 "And the people of Israel did so. 0:23:00.985,0:23:04.142 They gathered, some more, some less. 0:23:04.142,0:23:05.921 But when they measured it 0:23:05.921,0:23:07.179 with an omer, 0:23:07.179,0:23:09.835 whoever gathered much [br]had nothing left over, 0:23:09.835,0:23:12.476 and whoever gathered little had no lack. 0:23:12.476,0:23:16.489 Each of them gathered as [br]much as he could eat. 0:23:16.489,0:23:18.024 And Moses said to them, 0:23:18.024,0:23:21.805 'let no one leave any [br]over until the morning,' 0:23:21.805,0:23:24.064 but they did not listen to Moses. 0:23:24.064,0:23:26.767 Some left part of it till the morning, 0:23:26.767,0:23:28.724 and it bred worms and stank, 0:23:28.724,0:23:30.633 and Moses was angry with them. 0:23:30.633,0:23:32.704 Morning by morning they gathered it, 0:23:32.704,0:23:35.621 each as much as he could eat, 0:23:35.621,0:23:38.813 but when the sun grew hot, it melted." 0:23:38.813,0:23:43.005 So they had to gather this manna early 0:23:43.005,0:23:45.218 before the sunrise or it stank. 0:23:45.218,0:23:46.808 And God is teaching there - 0:23:46.808,0:23:48.319 as Calvin said - 0:23:48.319,0:23:49.934 number one, a work ethic. 0:23:49.934,0:23:51.631 If they'd been left all day 0:23:51.631,0:23:53.459 to gather it, they could have been 0:23:53.459,0:23:54.927 casual about it. 0:23:54.927,0:23:57.030 But also, I think much more than that, 0:23:57.030,0:23:58.836 in that it stank there 0:23:58.836,0:24:00.321 for those who did not listen 0:24:00.321,0:24:03.348 to the command of God. 0:24:03.348,0:24:05.607 The teaching there is if you're gathering 0:24:05.607,0:24:07.024 the manna of God's Word, 0:24:07.024,0:24:08.710 but not doing it, 0:24:08.710,0:24:10.719 then you stink. 0:24:10.719,0:24:16.172 If we're hearing or reading 0:24:16.172,0:24:17.176 the Word of God, 0:24:17.176,0:24:18.052 but not doing it, 0:24:18.052,0:24:19.660 or learning it and not doing it, 0:24:19.660,0:24:21.442 then that's the testimony, isn't it, 0:24:21.442,0:24:22.598 it leaves before others. 0:24:22.598,0:24:24.970 It stinks. 0:24:24.970,0:24:27.629 But above all that, 0:24:27.629,0:24:29.374 the Lord is teaching us here 0:24:29.374,0:24:30.963 that we can depend on Him 0:24:30.963,0:24:33.502 day by day. 0:24:33.502,0:24:35.974 This is the teaching here. 0:24:35.974,0:24:38.470 You see, this text here, 0:24:38.470,0:24:39.749 I think it's what our Lord 0:24:39.749,0:24:40.672 likely had in mind 0:24:40.672,0:24:42.622 when He said in the Sermon on the Mount; 0:24:42.622,0:24:44.279 when He taught us to pray there: 0:24:44.279,0:24:47.610 Give us this day our daily bread. 0:24:47.610,0:24:51.515 Not tomorrow's mercies in advance. 0:24:51.515,0:24:54.518 But you see, we can [br]trust the Lord each day 0:24:54.518,0:24:56.647 is the teaching. 0:24:56.647,0:24:58.332 As He said there, 0:24:58.332,0:25:01.732 but if God so clothes the [br]grass of the field, 0:25:01.732,0:25:02.887 which today is alive 0:25:02.887,0:25:05.886 and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, 0:25:05.886,0:25:07.773 will He not much more clothe you, 0:25:07.773,0:25:09.738 O ye of little faith? 0:25:09.738,0:25:11.473 Therefore do not be anxious, 0:25:11.473,0:25:13.280 saying what shall we eat 0:25:13.280,0:25:14.395 or what shall we drink 0:25:14.395,0:25:15.975 or what shall we wear? 0:25:15.975,0:25:17.617 For the Gentiles (the unconverted) 0:25:17.617,0:25:19.326 seek after these things, 0:25:19.326,0:25:21.916 and your heavenly Father knows 0:25:21.916,0:25:23.712 you have need of them all. 0:25:23.712,0:25:25.590 But seek first the Kingdom of God 0:25:25.590,0:25:26.745 and His righteousness, 0:25:26.745,0:25:28.843 and all these things will be added to you. 0:25:28.843,0:25:31.281 Therefore, do not be [br]anxious about tomorrow. 0:25:31.281,0:25:33.632 For tomorrow will be anxious for itself. 0:25:33.632,0:25:39.004 Sufficient for today is its own trouble. 0:25:39.007,0:25:42.789 You see, grumbling tends to exaggerate 0:25:42.789,0:25:45.386 the woes and the trials of the future 0:25:45.386,0:25:48.147 as does anxiety. 0:25:48.147,0:25:50.656 But we are being taught in this 0:25:50.656,0:25:56.228 that we can trust the Lord day by day. 0:25:56.228,0:25:59.593 Not being told a month in advance 0:25:59.593,0:26:03.815 or a year in advance. 0:26:03.815,0:26:06.090 You see, worry and anxiety, 0:26:06.090,0:26:07.972 it's basically living out the future 0:26:07.972,0:26:10.400 before it comes. 0:26:10.400,0:26:13.369 (Incomplete thought) 0:26:13.369,0:26:14.980 The devil can really use this 0:26:14.980,0:26:16.644 and get you to exaggerate the woes. 0:26:16.644,0:26:19.674 The result of it is it causes people 0:26:19.674,0:26:21.986 to distrust the Lord in the present 0:26:21.986,0:26:24.635 and do things wrong there. 0:26:24.635,0:26:26.241 But we're taught here about how 0:26:26.241,0:26:29.795 we can trust the Lord day by day. 0:26:29.795,0:26:32.237 And then from v. 22 to the end 0:26:32.237,0:26:33.956 of the chapter. 0:26:33.956,0:26:35.902 We get this about the Sabbath here. 0:26:35.902,0:26:37.886 "On the sixth day, they gathered 0:26:37.886,0:26:39.390 twice as much bread, 0:26:39.390,0:26:40.322 two omers each. 0:26:40.322,0:26:42.495 And when all the leaders [br]of the congregation 0:26:42.495,0:26:43.927 came and told Moses, 0:26:43.927,0:26:44.891 he said to them, 0:26:44.891,0:26:46.741 'this is what the Lord has commanded. 0:26:46.741,0:26:49.018 Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest; 0:26:49.018,0:26:51.120 a holy Sabbath to the Lord. 0:26:51.120,0:26:52.805 Bake what you will bake 0:26:52.805,0:26:54.426 and boil what you will boil, 0:26:54.426,0:26:57.168 All that is left over and lay aside 0:26:57.168,0:26:59.629 to be kept till the morning.' 0:26:59.629,0:27:02.256 So they laid it aside till the morning 0:27:02.256,0:27:03.789 as Moses had commanded them, 0:27:03.789,0:27:05.589 and it did not stink 0:27:05.589,0:27:07.945 and there were no worms in it." 0:27:07.945,0:27:09.447 Now, that's a test of faith 0:27:09.447,0:27:11.659 and obedience, isn't it? 0:27:11.659,0:27:13.227 Because in the previous days, 0:27:13.227,0:27:14.402 if they left some over, 0:27:14.402,0:27:15.197 it stunk. 0:27:15.197,0:27:16.366 That's what they'd see. 0:27:16.366,0:27:17.720 But then, they were rather 0:27:17.720,0:27:19.286 asked to gather two days worth 0:27:19.286,0:27:20.706 before the Sabbath. 0:27:20.706,0:27:22.572 And it did not stink. 0:27:22.572,0:27:25.216 V. 25, "Moses said, 'eat it today, 0:27:25.216,0:27:27.807 for today is a Sabbath to the Lord. 0:27:27.807,0:27:30.216 Today you will not find it in the field. 0:27:30.216,0:27:31.924 Six days you shall gather it, 0:27:31.924,0:27:33.296 but on the seventh day, 0:27:33.296,0:27:34.861 which is a Sabbath, 0:27:34.861,0:27:38.880 there will be none.'" 0:27:38.880,0:27:40.405 I want you to think here 0:27:40.405,0:27:42.651 about the link - 0:27:42.651,0:27:44.326 what is the link 0:27:44.326,0:27:47.860 in the midst of a passage 0:27:47.860,0:27:49.106 about grumbling - 0:27:49.106,0:27:51.167 and he gives us much in the way 0:27:51.167,0:27:52.350 God deals with them 0:27:52.350,0:27:55.360 or a remedy for grumbling. 0:27:55.360,0:27:57.072 Why does he suddenly start talking 0:27:57.072,0:27:59.799 about the Sabbath day? 0:27:59.799,0:28:03.777 What is the link here? 0:28:03.777,0:28:06.897 I think the Lord is [br]teaching us here, brethren, 0:28:06.897,0:28:10.827 you can trust the Lord enough to rest. 0:28:10.827,0:28:13.709 You know, the world won't stop revolving 0:28:13.709,0:28:16.447 if you stop worrying for just one second, 0:28:16.447,0:28:22.476 believe it or not. 0:28:22.476,0:28:25.088 You know, it's easy for parents, isn't it, 0:28:25.088,0:28:29.202 that when you go through a trial 0:28:29.202,0:28:31.518 and you spend scheduled time 0:28:31.518,0:28:33.286 with your children 0:28:33.286,0:28:36.113 or some other family member 0:28:36.113,0:28:38.108 you're supposed to be spending time with, 0:28:38.108,0:28:39.924 you can be spending time with them - 0:28:39.924,0:28:42.118 your children - but [br]you're not really there 0:28:42.118,0:28:43.933 because you're thinking about 0:28:43.933,0:28:50.216 whatever trial there is on your mind. 0:28:50.216,0:28:54.021 But I've kind of learned after time, 0:28:54.021,0:28:56.312 God can cope without me worrying 0:28:56.312,0:28:59.606 about something for a few seconds 0:28:59.606,0:29:01.468 and to spend that time with them. 0:29:01.468,0:29:03.312 You know, as a pastor at home 0:29:03.312,0:29:06.295 I have a kind of Monday off, if you like, 0:29:06.295,0:29:09.306 where basically I don't do any counseling 0:29:09.306,0:29:10.736 on a Monday, 0:29:10.736,0:29:13.011 or the normal churchy things on a Monday 0:29:13.011,0:29:16.062 that I do on other days. 0:29:16.062,0:29:19.904 And it's been a hard [br]lesson for me to learn. 0:29:19.904,0:29:21.189 At first, I was like, 0:29:21.189,0:29:23.446 Lord, are You sure You can manage 0:29:23.446,0:29:28.413 without me and run the church for a day? 0:29:28.413,0:29:30.369 And you know, it's like the Lord says, 0:29:30.369,0:29:32.009 well, let Me think about that one. 0:29:32.009,0:29:33.894 You know, I made the world in six days 0:29:33.894,0:29:35.275 at the command of My voice. 0:29:35.275,0:29:37.126 I placed the stars in orbit. 0:29:37.126,0:29:39.163 I parted the Red Sea. 0:29:39.163,0:29:42.144 Yeah, I think I can just about manage 0:29:42.144,0:29:45.020 for a little bit without you. 0:29:45.020,0:29:46.067 But you see, brethren, 0:29:46.067,0:29:50.904 in that illustration [br]how ridiculous we get 0:29:50.904,0:29:53.540 when we don't think we can rest. 0:29:53.540,0:29:59.876 What a distrust of the Lord it is, really. 0:29:59.876,0:30:01.485 You know, it's funny though, 0:30:01.485,0:30:03.744 when, at least in my experience, 0:30:03.744,0:30:06.965 when I do have the Monday off, 0:30:06.965,0:30:08.619 normally it's the more grumbly, 0:30:08.619,0:30:11.168 hypercritical spirit who are the ones 0:30:11.168,0:30:13.552 who are always trying [br]to intrude upon that. 0:30:13.552,0:30:16.421 Desperate for me to sort out whatever. 0:30:16.421,0:30:18.680 It's like I don't care what day it is. 0:30:18.680,0:30:19.972 If I say, "jump," 0:30:19.972,0:30:25.970 I expect my pastor to say, "how high?" 0:30:25.970,0:30:30.220 But anyway, then in v. 27-28, 0:30:30.220,0:30:33.864 we see the Sabbath breakers. 0:30:33.864,0:30:37.335 From v. 26, once again, 0:30:37.335,0:30:39.215 "Six days you shall gather it, 0:30:39.215,0:30:40.333 but on the seventh day 0:30:40.333,0:30:41.436 which is a Sabbath, 0:30:41.436,0:30:42.399 there will be none. 0:30:42.399,0:30:43.540 On the seventh day, 0:30:43.540,0:30:45.074 some of the people went out 0:30:45.074,0:30:47.168 to gather but they found none. 0:30:47.168,0:30:48.822 And the Lord said to Moses, 0:30:48.822,0:30:50.417 'how long will you refuse to keep 0:30:50.417,0:30:55.839 My commandments and My laws?'" 0:30:55.839,0:30:57.826 And I think there's application 0:30:57.826,0:31:00.362 for the Lord's Day here. 0:31:00.362,0:31:02.354 Just as these Israelites, 0:31:02.354,0:31:05.644 they prepared before the Sabbath 0:31:05.644,0:31:08.392 by gathering what they needed 0:31:08.392,0:31:10.839 the day before there. 0:31:10.839,0:31:12.623 I think it's good, isn't it, 0:31:12.623,0:31:14.566 to prepare for the Lord's Day? 0:31:14.566,0:31:15.541 If you can. 0:31:15.541,0:31:18.140 As in make sure you're not overly tired 0:31:18.140,0:31:20.719 to come in and be with the people. 0:31:20.719,0:31:22.420 That you've done things 0:31:22.420,0:31:24.417 so you're not rushing around like crazy. 0:31:24.417,0:31:26.358 I'm not saying you can't go to the shop 0:31:26.358,0:31:27.738 for some milk or something 0:31:27.738,0:31:39.151 if you've run out or anything like that. 0:31:39.151,0:31:42.496 But from v. 29, 0:31:42.496,0:31:45.594 "See the Lord has given you the Sabbath. 0:31:45.594,0:31:47.744 Therefore, on the sixth day, 0:31:47.744,0:31:50.215 He gives you bread for two days. 0:31:50.215,0:31:51.945 Remain each in his place. 0:31:51.945,0:31:54.239 Let no one go out of his place 0:31:54.239,0:31:55.555 on the seventh day. 0:31:55.555,0:32:00.634 So the people rested on the seventh day." 0:32:00.634,0:32:02.709 Notice that lastly. 0:32:02.709,0:32:05.375 The people rested on the seventh day. 0:32:05.375,0:32:07.731 Once again, Sabbath, 0:32:07.731,0:32:11.743 and that principle there of rest. 0:32:11.743,0:32:15.589 What's your idea of Sabbath rest? 0:32:15.589,0:32:18.774 Or the Lord's Day? 0:32:18.774,0:32:22.547 Is it a long list of burdensome rules? 0:32:22.547,0:32:24.046 You know, our Lord Jesus said, 0:32:24.046,0:32:25.851 didn't He, the thing you must know 0:32:25.851,0:32:31.266 about the Sabbath is it was made for man. 0:32:31.266,0:32:33.381 That is, can you trust Me 0:32:33.381,0:32:36.219 enough to rest? 0:32:36.219,0:32:39.224 And the thing He most wants us to learn 0:32:39.224,0:32:42.157 most of all though 0:32:42.157,0:32:45.626 is that you can trust in Him 0:32:45.626,0:32:49.732 and rest in what He's done for salvation. 0:32:49.732,0:32:54.833 In that picture of the Gospel rest 0:32:54.833,0:32:58.099 which it ultimately points to there. 0:32:58.099,0:33:00.602 I think I've used this [br]illustration before here. 0:33:00.602,0:33:02.024 My wife always tells me off 0:33:02.024,0:33:04.616 for using the same illustrations. 0:33:04.616,0:33:06.168 So forgive me if I have. 0:33:06.168,0:33:08.362 She always says when [br]you use an illustration 0:33:08.362,0:33:09.389 you've given before, 0:33:09.389,0:33:14.422 I just switch off. 0:33:14.422,0:33:16.268 But you have that picture, don't you, 0:33:16.268,0:33:19.313 in Genesis of God making the world. 0:33:19.313,0:33:21.122 There was an evening and a morning - 0:33:21.122,0:33:21.874 the first day. 0:33:21.874,0:33:23.905 An evening and a morning, the second day. 0:33:23.905,0:33:26.419 An evening, a morning, a third day. 0:33:26.419,0:33:30.307 Until you get to the Sabbath day. 0:33:30.307,0:33:32.160 And there's no evening and morning. 0:33:32.160,0:33:34.829 It's just a continual day. 0:33:34.829,0:33:40.922 When God rested on the Sabbath day there, 0:33:40.922,0:33:44.664 it's not that He rested [br]and then He carried on 0:33:44.664,0:33:45.886 on the following day. 0:33:45.886,0:33:47.904 But He rested from it 0:33:47.904,0:33:50.496 because it's finished. 0:33:50.496,0:33:52.516 The work is all done. 0:33:52.516,0:33:54.466 So He entered into His rest. 0:33:54.466,0:33:56.028 And you see, that's the picture 0:33:56.028,0:33:57.985 of what Christ would do on the cross 0:33:57.985,0:34:02.608 there when He said, "It is finished." 0:34:02.608,0:34:04.131 He's done everything needed 0:34:04.131,0:34:06.580 for salvation. 0:34:06.580,0:34:08.205 And you see, that is where 0:34:08.205,0:34:09.773 salvation comes, doesn't it? 0:34:09.773,0:34:15.916 Resting in what Christ has done for you. 0:34:15.916,0:34:19.851 And so, to really finish then, 0:34:19.851,0:34:21.726 from v. 31-36, 0:34:21.726,0:34:23.904 we're told how some of the manna 0:34:23.904,0:34:26.767 was stored, just so later, 0:34:26.767,0:34:29.155 it would be one of the items 0:34:29.155,0:34:34.211 in the ark of the covenant there. 0:34:34.211,0:34:38.214 He tells them to take a [br]jar of it and so forth, 0:34:38.214,0:34:41.324 but in John 6, 0:34:41.324,0:34:44.878 people came to Jesus and they said to Him, 0:34:44.878,0:34:47.587 "What must we do 0:34:47.587,0:34:50.652 to be doing the works of God?" 0:34:50.652,0:34:52.689 What must we do to be doing the works, 0:34:52.689,0:34:53.885 the miracles of God? 0:34:53.885,0:34:56.533 They asked Jesus there in John 6. 0:34:56.533,0:34:57.845 You see, these people, 0:34:57.845,0:35:00.193 they had just seen Jesus feed the 5,000 0:35:00.193,0:35:02.223 with five loaves and two fishes. 0:35:02.223,0:35:03.524 So they were asking Him, 0:35:03.524,0:35:05.931 what must we do? 0:35:05.931,0:35:12.688 So we can do a miracle like this. 0:35:12.688,0:35:14.253 As Jesus had just said to them, 0:35:14.253,0:35:19.613 you are seeking Me for the wrong reasons. 0:35:19.613,0:35:21.713 You see, in the miracle of the feeding 0:35:21.713,0:35:23.841 of the 5,000, they didn't come to realize 0:35:23.841,0:35:25.345 Who He was. 0:35:25.345,0:35:28.782 And so they wanted to do [br]miracles, these people, 0:35:28.782,0:35:31.455 rather than seeking Him. 0:35:31.455,0:35:32.965 Well, Jesus answered them, 0:35:32.965,0:35:34.841 "This is the work of God: 0:35:34.841,0:35:37.812 that you believe in Him Whom He has sent. 0:35:37.812,0:35:40.002 So they said to Him, 0:35:40.002,0:35:43.905 'then what sign do you do 0:35:43.905,0:35:46.920 that we may see Him and believe You, 0:35:46.920,0:35:49.681 and what work You may perform? 0:35:49.681,0:35:51.021 Our fathers ate the manna 0:35:51.021,0:35:52.520 in the wilderness. 0:35:52.520,0:35:53.388 As it is written, 0:35:53.388,0:35:55.506 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' 0:35:55.506,0:35:56.542 Jesus said to them, 0:35:56.542,0:35:58.716 'Truly, truly, I say to you, 0:35:58.716,0:36:00.661 it was not Moses who gave you 0:36:00.661,0:36:02.102 the bread from heaven, 0:36:02.102,0:36:03.637 but My Father gives you 0:36:03.637,0:36:05.632 the true bread from heaven. 0:36:05.632,0:36:07.491 For the bread of God is He Who 0:36:07.491,0:36:09.127 comes down from heaven 0:36:09.127,0:36:11.939 and gives life to the world. 0:36:11.939,0:36:12.926 They said to Him, 0:36:12.926,0:36:15.268 'Sir, give us this bread always.' 0:36:15.268,0:36:16.679 Jesus said to them, 0:36:16.679,0:36:18.823 'I am the bread of life. 0:36:18.823,0:36:21.687 Whoever comes to Me shall not hunger. 0:36:21.687,0:36:25.046 Whoever comes to Me shall not thirst.'" 0:36:25.046,0:36:28.592 You see, He is the true Manna. 0:36:28.592,0:36:30.989 Christ is not some temporary provision 0:36:30.989,0:36:34.395 that lasted forty[br]years, in other words, 0:36:34.395,0:36:37.017 but everlasting. 0:36:37.017,0:36:38.382 You see, Jesus is the One 0:36:38.382,0:36:40.034 you must come to to rest in, 0:36:40.034,0:36:44.743 and feed from Him for everlasting life. 0:36:44.743,0:36:46.219 You see, just as this manna 0:36:46.219,0:36:47.791 sustained in the wilderness, 0:36:47.791,0:36:50.475 Christ is the One 0:36:50.475,0:36:53.577 Who must sustain you before the judgment, 0:36:53.577,0:36:57.354 Who we are to feed upon there. 0:36:57.354,0:36:59.343 So that's what I have to say. 0:36:59.343,0:37:04.898 Let's pray. 0:37:04.898,0:37:06.833 Our Father, I just pray that these words 0:37:06.833,0:37:09.829 would be helpful to the [br]brothers and sisters, 0:37:09.829,0:37:13.402 for the unity of the church here, 0:37:13.402,0:37:18.673 to knit hearts together [br]as David and Jonathan. 0:37:18.673,0:37:20.267 Keep us from evil, we ask. 0:37:20.267,0:37:23.474 Keep us from a grumbling spirit. 0:37:23.474,0:37:28.569 Keep us from temptation. 0:37:28.569,0:37:30.351 Help us to feed on You. 0:37:30.351,0:37:31.441 In Jesus' name, 0:37:31.441,0:37:32.934 Amen.