Manna - Part 3
Exodus 16:13-15
03/13/2024
13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp,
and in the morning dew lay around the camp.
14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the
face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing,
fine as frost on the ground.
15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one
another, ``What is it?'' For they did not know
what it was. And Moses said to them, ``It is the
bread that the LORD has given you to eat.'' (ESV)
The children of Israel were about to witness a miracle.
They had complained to Moses and Aaron about the lack of food and
bread, even as they longed to return to the luxuries they
remembered in Egypt. No matter that they were slaves, no matter
that they were embarking on a journey of promise, they were
unhappy.
What did God do to provide?
In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and
in the morning dew lay around the camp. And when the
dew had gone up, there was on the face of the
wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on
the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they
said to one another, ``What is it?'' For they did not
know what it was. And Moses said to them, ``It is the
bread that the LORD has given you to eat.''
We may not recognize God's rich gifts. The children of
Israel called the fine, flake-like thing ``manna,'' literally
``what is it?'' For four decades they ate ``what is it?'' in the
wilderness. Maybe they did not recognize the substance, but it
was God's gift to sustain them.
Do we always recognize God's rich blessings? How often do
we say, ``what is it?'' and look past that which He gives. When
our eyes are blinded by the expectations of this world, do we
look past the cross of Jesus asking, ``How is that a blessing to
me?'' Yet God comes to us in unexpected and miraculous ways,
ways that make us ask, ``What is it?'' It is His love in action.
May our Lord help us to see His grace, love, and mercy so
that we may receive His rich blessings with thanksgiving. Amen.Author: admin
Manna — Part 2: 03/12/2024
Manna - Part 2
Exodus 16:4-5
03/12/2024
4 Then the LORD said to Moses, ``Behold, I am about
to 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 they will walk in my
law or not.
5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they
bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather
daily.'' (ESV)
God heard the grumbling of the children of Israel. He knew
of their dissatisfaction, their desire to abandon the path which
led from slavery to freedom. The lure of the present, even if it
meant living as a slave, was greater than the promise of the
future.
Yet God, in His mercy, did not punish them for their
discontent. Rather, He used their discontent to show His love,
grace, and mercy.
Then the LORD said to Moses, ``Behold, I am about to
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 they will walk in my law or not. On
the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it
will be twice as much as they gather daily.''
And so it was that God prepared an answer to their prayer.
Even as the children of Israel complained, even as they doubted
God's love, He provided for them. Yes, this was a testing of
their faith, an opportunity for them to grow in their trust in
God.
We may not be in the wastelands of the desert east of the
Red Sea, but we still are beset with problems and concerns.
Either we can complain, or we can trust in God to provide, even
if we do not understand how He will sustain us. His plans for
us, His deliverance from our physical and spiritual problems, are
always astounding.
May our Lord grant us wisdom to trust in Him above all
things. Amen.Manna — Part 1: 03/11/2024
Manna - Part 1
Exodus 16:2-3
03/11/2024
2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel
grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the
wilderness,
3 and the people of Israel said to them, ``Would
that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the
land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and
ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out
into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly
with hunger.'' (ESV)
Six weeks after the children of Israel left Egypt, shortly
after crossing the Red Sea, the people became dissatisfied.
And the whole congregation of the people of Israel
grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and
the people of Israel said to them, ``Would that we had
died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when
we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for
you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill
this whole assembly with hunger.''
Would God sustain them during their journey to the land once
promised to their forefather Abraham? Did they have faith in
God, or did they doubt His mercy?
Like the children of Israel, we look at the difficulties of
the journey and doubt that God truly loves us. After all, at one
point, even though slaves to sin, we were comfortable. Now,
having left the comfort of our rebellious lives behind, we
grumble at the hardships of our journey of faith.
Some people want to simply give up and go back to slavery.
After all, what we had seemed better than what we have now, even
if we had no freedom or hope. As we live for the moment rather
than living with our eyes on Christ, we certainly will complain
about the problems of this life.
This week we will look at God feeding and sustaining His
people in the wilderness. In the same way He fed Israel, God
gives us the fullness of His physical and spiritual blessings.
May our Lord grant us faith to hold firmly to Him, to trust
Him for all we need to sustain this body and life. Amen.Lessons for Today — Part 5: 03/08/2024
Lessons for Today - Part 5
Exodus 8:24
03/08/2024
24 And the LORD did so. There came great swarms of
flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his
servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt
the land was ruined by the swarms of flies. (ESV)
When our Lord speaks, all of creation listens. His Word
does what He says. He spoke, and all things were made. He
promised Adam and Eve a Savior who would redeem them from sin and
death, and Christ Jesus was born. He promises us the same
forgiveness, and you hear the good news that Jesus Christ died
for your sins, and rose again to show His victory over death and
the grave.
God, speaking through Moses and Aaron, told Pharaoh that
flies would destroy the land. ``And the LORD did so. There came
great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his
servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was
ruined by the swarms of flies.''
May our Lord preserve us from such calamities as befell the
Egyptians. He uses tragedies to call us to repent of our sin, to
turn to Him, to acknowledge that we cannot, by our own reason or
strength, control those things which are in His power alone. We
also acknowledge that suffering, as we hold to God's promises,
increases and strengthens our faith. Finally, it reminds us that
Jesus Christ suffered the punishments of hell on our behalf so
that we can experience the joys of heaven.
Please join us on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. at Trinity
Lutheran Church to learn more of God's love as found in Jesus
Christ. Amen.Lessons for Today — Part 4: 03/07/2024
Lessons for Today - Part 4
Exodus 8:20-24
03/07/2024
20 Then the LORD said to Moses, ``Rise up early in
the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he
goes out to the water, and say to him, `Thus says
the LORD, ``Let my people go, that they may serve
me.
21 Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold,
I will send swarms of flies on you and your
servants and your people, and into your houses.
And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled
with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which
they stand.
22 But on that day I will set apart the land of
Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms
of flies shall be there, that you may know that I
am the LORD in the midst of the earth.
23 Thus I will put a division between my people and
your people. Tomorrow this sign shall
happen.'' ' ''
24 And the LORD did so. There came great swarms of
flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his
servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt
the land was ruined by the swarms of flies. (ESV)
In the fourth plague, God set His chosen people apart from
the Egyptians.
Then the LORD said to Moses, ``Rise up early in the
morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out
to the water, and say to him, `Thus says the LORD,
``Let my people go, that they may serve me. Or else,
if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send
swarms of flies on you and your servants and your
people, and into your houses. And the houses of the
Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and
also the ground on which they stand. But on that day I
will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people
dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that
you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the
earth. Thus I will put a division between my people
and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall
happen.'' ' '' And the LORD did so. There came great
swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his
servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the
land was ruined by the swarms of flies.
Are Christians always exempt from the tragedies which
afflict the world? Of course not. But, living by trusting in
God's promises, Christians are often able to overcome the
problems and difficulties in ways those who reject God cannot.
We have the sure and certain hope of God's rich grace, that He
fulfills His promises even when all seems hopeless.
May our Lord grant us faith that we trust in Him always,
that we call upon Him in the day of trouble. Amen.Lessons for Today — Part 3: 03/06/2024
Lessons for Today - Part 3
Exodus 8:19
03/06/2024
19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, ``This is the
finger of God.'' But Pharaoh's heart was
hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the
LORD had said. (ESV)
One of the constant themes in the story of the Ten Plagues
as recorded in Exodus is Pharaoh's hardened heart.
Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, ``This is the
finger of God.'' But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and
he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
The LORD does not cause some people to reject His grace,
love, and mercy, but He allows them to have their desires.
Pharaoh, like many people today, simply had no desire to
acknowledge God's power and majesty, in spite of the evidence.
His trusted advisors, the scientists of the day, confessed that
they were powerless to do the works which God performed.
Today, where the First Amendment promises the freedom of
religion, that freedom is narrowly defined as the ability to
worship as you please. But you cannot bring your religion into
the workplace, as we have seen as various merchants and artists
are sued for refusing to go against their convictions concerning
marriage. What good is religious freedom if you cannot live
according to your beliefs?
Science and academia will not even allow the idea of
intelligent design, of traditional marriage, and a higher power
to be discussed. The basics of religion are not only ridiculed,
they are suppressed. Can we not debate the ideas which go
against the modern narrative? That is the same hardness of heart
expressed by Pharaoh.
We believe, teach, and confess that all who are redeemed
from sin and death by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
are given that salvation only by God's work. We also confess
that all who are condemned are condemned because they rejected
God's gift of forgiveness.
May our Lord grant us hearts willing to hear and trust in
Him alone. Amen.Prayer for the use of media for evangelism
In light of our ongoing outreach through both radio and television, especially as we are again hosting the recording session for Main Street Living, we offer this prayer which is found in “My Prayer Book – 1980 Edition” as published by CPH.
Lord Jesus Christ, blessed Savior, how great is Your mercy that You would have all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth! Let me always remember Your command to “go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation that people everywhere may learn to know the truth of Your saving love. I must confess that I have not always been as active as I might have been in obeying Your command. At times I was even tempted to excuse myself by pleading that there was little that I could do to bring the Gospel to everyone. But now You have given us the marvels of radio and television, by which the story of Your saving love can be quickly carried to all the world. Accept, O Christ, my gratitude and my offerings for these modern ways of going quickly to all the world with Your saving Gospel. Favor with Your divine blessing the radio and television mission of our church, and by the working of the Holy Spirit make Your Word, carried by the air waves, a power to salvation in the hearts and lives of people everywhere, for whom You died that they might live forever. Amen.
My Prayer Book, CPH
Lessons for Today — Part 2: 03/05/2024
Lessons for Today - Part 2
Exodus 8:16-19
03/05/2024
16 Then the LORD said to Moses, ``Say to Aaron,
`Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the
earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land
of Egypt.'''
17 And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with
his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and
there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of
the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt.
18 The magicians tried by their secret arts to
produce gnats, but they could not. So there were
gnats on man and beast.
19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, ``This is the
finger of God.'' But Pharaoh's heart was
hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the
LORD had said. (ESV)
We find recorded in Exodus:
Then the LORD said to Moses, ``Say to Aaron, `Stretch
out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so
that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.'''
And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his
staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were
gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth
became gnats in all the land of Egypt. The magicians
tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they
could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. Then
the magicians said to Pharaoh, ``This is the finger of
God.'' But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would
not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
The plagues inflicted on Egypt before the Passover had two
purposes. First, the plagues showed the children of Israel that
God was in their midst and desired to deliver them from slavery.
He would act with power to bring them back to the land once
promised to their father Abraham. Second, the plagues showed the
Egyptians that He is the one true God, that their pantheon of
deities were of no avail.
Egyptian magicians were able to produce the same effects of
the first two plagues. When the water of the Nile River turned
into blood, the Egyptian magicians did the same through their
secret arts. So too, the magicians were able to bring frogs up
from the water, the second plague.
The lesson for today, although we may seem to have power
over nature, yet that power is limited. God, who created the
heavens and the earth, can and does those things at which we can
only marvel, including creating and sustaining life.
May we have the wisdom to acknowledge that God has power
over all things. Amen.Lessons for Today — Part 1: 03/04/2024
Lessons for Today - Part 1
Exodus 8:16-17
03/04/2024
16 Then the LORD said to Moses, ``Say to Aaron,
`Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the
earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land
of Egypt.'''
17 And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with
his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and
there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of
the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt.
(ESV)
The historic Collect for the Word says:
Blessed Lord, who hast caused all Holy Scriptures to be
written for our learning, grant that we may in such
wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest
them, that by patience and comfort of Thy holy Word we
may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of
everlasting life, which Thou hast given us in our
Savior Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee
and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.[1]
What do we learn from the Old Testament lesson for the Third
Sunday in Lent? This is the account of the third and fourth
plagues which struck Egypt before Pharaoh let the children of
Israel leave the land. Is this merely history, or can we draw a
lesson for today from this account?
We know that the entire Passover account, including the ten
plagues, point us to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of
the world. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Passover, as
John the Baptizer confessed. Pharaoh's reaction to the plagues
certainly give us a reason to pause, to consider how God is
greater than all of our human powers.
Then the LORD said to Moses, ``Say to Aaron, `Stretch
out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so
that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.'''
And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his
staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were
gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth
became gnats in all the land of Egypt.
May our Lord grant you His richest blessings as we learn of
His love, grace, and mercy. Amen.
____________________
1. The Lutheran Hymnal, p. 14Wrestling with God — Part 5: 03/01/2024
Wrestling With God - Part 5
Genesis 32:30
03/01/2024
30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel,
saying, ``For I have seen God face to face, and
yet my life has been delivered.'' (ESV)
Thus Jacob wrestled with God and man, yet prevailed. In
faith he went forward to meet his estranged brother, to reconcile
with him, and to raise his family. ``So Jacob called the name of
the place Peniel, saying, `For I have seen God face to face, and
yet my life has been delivered.'''
In faith, as we struggle with the crosses of life, we learn
to recognize and experience God properly. We call upon Him in
every trouble, knowing that He will bless and keep us. Although
His answer may not agree with our desires, we know He will do
that which leads us to eternal life with Him. One commentary
says:
Alone and faced with danger, Jacob finds God to be his
adversary. Yet faithful Jacob wrestles and receives a
new name and God's blessing. It does not always seem
that God is on our side. Sometimes He causes
Christians to bear trials, temptations, and suffering
-- the cross. Yet, this is not to destroy us, but to
strengthen us and finally bless us. Christian faith
clings to God's Word of mercy in Jesus Christ.[3]
Please join us at Trinity Lutheran Church on Sunday morning
at 9:00 a.m. to learn more of God's rich love, grace, and favor.
Amen.
____________________
3. Lutheran Study Bible, p. 68