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Greetings. It is good to be with you today.
Prayers of The Passengers-- [After a preacher died and went to heaven, he noticed that a New York cab driver had been awarded a higher place than he. “I don’t understand,” he complained to Saint Peter. “I devoted my entire life to my congregation.” “Our policy here in Heaven is to reward results,” Saint Peter explained. “Now, was your congregation well attuned to you whenever you gave a sermon?” “Well,” the minister had to admit,” some in the congregation fell asleep from time to time.” “Exactly,” said Saint Peter. “And when people rode in this man’s taxi, they not only stayed awake, they even prayed.”] Today we will be taking a look at two passage of scripture, one from the Old Testament (Exodus 16) and one from the New Testament (Matthew 6), as Jesus connects (in a remarkable way) the people’s complaining, God’s provision of manna, and the gathering of that manna with one of the chief concepts that are to be associated with our coming to God in prayer. Jesus says in… Matthew 6:9-11 (ESV) 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, Exodus 16:4-7 (ESV)— 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.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” God’s Glory Appears-- Moses and Aaron are asking the congregation, "Why are you murmuring against us? We are only human. We cannot do anything. We cannot provide for you. God has heard your murmurings and you will see the glory of God.” Now it is interesting to note that every single time that Israel murmurs or grumbles, it says that the glory of God appeared. And what this shows us is that God does not like whining, grumbling, complaining, or fault-finding Christians. And Churches that grumble invite the wrath of God. So God responds. It says in… Exodus 16:8-15 (ESV)— 8 And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.” 9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’” 10 And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’” {So Moses was commanding the Israelites to trust God to provide for their needs. And it says…} 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?”[a] 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. Manna-- So imagine this. The Israelites wake up in the morning and find this white stuff covering the ground outside. And they don’t know what it is. That is why they called it manna because [The word manna comes from the Hebrew phrase man-hu, which means, “What is it?” {So} All the people of Israel initially wondered what the manna was, and then they realized that it was their food.] Also Quail-- Now there was manna, but keep in mind that there was also quail. And what the Israelites would do was they would put that quail meat on their manna. I can imagine few things tastier than bread with meat. Now what they had been craving was meat, so not only was this manna and quail [God’s provision to sustain them], but it was also just what they had desired. Now with that provision came also stipulations. Moses says in… Exodus 16:16-20a (ESV)— 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer,[b] according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. {(So they all got exactly what they needed.)} 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. Corn Hole Gone Bad-- I remember sometime ago I was helping to prepare a special game night for some kids. And we were getting ready to set up the corn hole set. But when we opened the buckets the bean bags were in, we discovered that the buckets had gotten moisture in them; and the bean bags had become infested with hundreds of maggots. And an odor arose from those buckets like you wouldn’t believe. Well that is what happened to all these Israelites who thought they could get away with disobeying God. They suddenly found themselves with maggots in their tents and a foul odor. Exodus 16:20b-21 (ESV)— And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. Gathering Only For Today-- So we see that [The manna was to be gathered every morning. Each man was to gather it. This was to be a personal experience.] And in a similar way, are to come before God daily in prayer and in devotions in order that we might receive spiritual food for the day. Now that takes time and it takes effort. And what so often happens is that we will fill up on one day and try to have that carry on over into the others. Sometimes we view Church on Sunday to be exactly that. We fill up on Church to kind of carry us over for the rest of the week. But what we often discover on Monday is that the blessing of God doesn’t carry over. What happens is that it spoils. Getting It Fresh-- [Children’s Church teacher: “Why in your prayers do you only ask for your daily bread instead of asking enough for a week?” Boy: “I guess it’s so we can get it fresh every day.”] Now this, in sense is true. According to scripture (and here, the very words of Jesus Himself) we have to gather daily. We have to come before God afresh every day. And this is very applicable when it comes you how we think about Church. We don’t come to Church once a week to get charged up for the rest of the week; we come to Church to worship a God whom we are also seeking and gathering from the rest of the week. You see, Sabbath (in the Jewish mind) was the climax of the week, to which all the rest of the days built up to and around which all the other days focused. You might even say Sabbath was the harvest of the spiritual crop that was sown throughout the week; the fruit of our daily encounter with Christ. Because you see [The manna {here in our passage this morning} speaks of {and points to} the Lord Jesus Christ as the Bread of Life. The Gospel of John, chapter 6, confirms this:] John 6:32-35 (ESV)-- 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. Now Jesus is of course speaking about the cross and His sacrifice there that would bring life to the world to everyone who would believe in Him and follow Him. But it also means that if I am to have sustenance in my day to day life, I have to come to Jesus daily; I have to seek His face daily. If I want a close relationship with my wife, I have to speak to her daily. Once a week is not going to cut it. If I am a good husband, then she will be central to my focus every day (not just one day a week). The same is true of our relationship with Christ. He wants us to engage Him every day in prayer and devotions; to (like the Israelites) to take time to gather every day; to seek Him every day; to remember Him and His provision every day. There is nothing that can humble a grumbling heart more than a daily recognition of the provision of God and daily practice of seeking Him in worship. Manna in The Ark-- We have been talking in recent weeks about the Tabernacle and its furnishings. And our passages in recent weeks are no deviation. Because as we have come into the Holy of Holies, we now encounter this marvelous golden ark; the ark of the covenant. And I read a scholar not long ago who points to the fact that: [Inside the ark of the covenant in the Most Holy Place in the temple of Israel, there was a pot of manna. Every time the chief priest came in to meet with God, he stood not only in God’s presence, but also in the presence of the pot of manna that was placed there to remind him that God does provide for his people….One of the truths that each person must believe {(he says)} is illustrated by that pot of manna. The God who revealed himself in Jesus Christ is the Creator of the universe. Not only did he create all things, he also sustains all things. Even beyond that, this Creator and Sustainer is also the Provider, the one who sees our every need and takes care of those needs. He is in sovereign control, and we must recognize that he will provide for our needs in every situation, no matter how small or how desperate.] The question is, “Are we trusting Him to?” Let that be our challenge this week. Let us remember He who gave us more than just bread to sustain us; He gave His own life to redeem us and deliver us from the power of death. In light of that, let us live a life of gratitude, not looking back at the meat-pots of our old life, but embracing a new and better life; a life lived in a daily experience of His life. Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV)— {May}… Christ…dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. May you be filled today with that fullness, as you continue to walk with Him. Amen.
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Greetings. It is good to be with you today. Our passage today comes from John chapter 6:27-35. Just to give you a little context, Jesus has just miraculously fed the 5,000 and has now begun to talk about Himself as being an even greater source of provision. And so He says in verse 27 and following…
John 6:27-35 (ESV)-- 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. Hearkening to Exodus 16-- Today’s message is all about bread. And who better to talk about bread than the One who called Himself and who was the Bread of Life. And here He talks about coming to God for daily bread. And it’s amazing how much depth there can be behind such a simple small phrase of scripture. And such is the case here. Jesus, speaking to a group of people who know the Old Testament well, is pointing back to a principle revealed in a very fascinating passage from the book of Exodus (chapter 16). Go ahead and turn with me there. That’s Exodus chapter 16. The Israelites have just set out from Egypt and are journeying to the promised land. They have left Egypt and have crossed the Red Sea (where God delivered them from pharaohs army by parting the Red Sea, allowing them to cross and then closing it over their pursuers). Then they sing the song of Moses in joyful celebration, after which they go into the wilderness and go three days without water. And having gone three days without finding any water, the scripture says they came to the oasis of Marah. But the water there was bitter. So they complained. But Moses cried out to God and then God told him to take a particular tree and throw it into the water, which did. And this made the water good to drink. Then afterwards Israel goes on from there and they come to a place called Elim, where they found twelve springs (so an abundance of water) and seventy palm trees (which even gave them shade). And the scripture says they camped there by the water. Now from there they depart and subsequently come to the wilderness of Sin. And it’s there where they must again learn to remember to trust in God for provision and to be a people of faith rather than a people who grumble and a doubt. Easily Offended-- Now unfortunately, complaining has become a very common thing nowadays. I want to read to you some complaints given by travelers to their travel agents which are purported to be real:
Complaining in The Church-- It is amazing what some people can complain about. And sometimes this attitude can even permeate the Church. People can complain when they do not get their way; they can complain when they do not like something the preacher says or does; or when they don’t feel like their own particular needs are met. And this kind of behavior can be dangerous because when we allow ourselves to get into that state of grumbling, we are letting our own fleshly desires inhibit the life of the Church and sometimes thwart the Church’s focus on the Kingdom of God and the mission of the Church in helping to bring about that Kingdom. We have made it all about us and not about God. Spurgeon on Complaining-- Charles Spurgeon shared the story of [A heavy wagon {that} was being dragged along a country lane by a team of oxen. The axles groaned and creaked terribly, when the oxen turning around thus addressed the wheels, "Hey there, why do you make so much noise? We bear all the labor, and we -- not you -- ought to cry out!" Those complain first in our churches who have the least to do. The gift of grumbling is largely dispensed among those who have no other talents, or who keep what they have wrapped up in a napkin.] And in this illustration Spurgeon really drives home the point that those who are most generous with their gifts are also those who grumble the least. Those who have their eyes on the Kingdom and on glorifying Christ do not let themselves get caught up in grumbling. You’d Think They Would Have Learned-- Now you would think that the Israelites. would have learned by now to trust in God enough not to complain; to know that God is going to provide for them. But look what happens. After this it says… Exodus 16:1 (ESV)-- 1 They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 30 Days After Egypt-- So our story today takes place [Thirty days after their departure from Rameses.] And it takes place in the wilderness of Sin. Now it may sound like the word “sin”, which may be appropriate when we consider how the Israelites behave, but the wilderness of Sin is an actual place. [The wilderness of Sin was a vast and hostile environment of sand and stone. {It was a place of difficulty. And God often uses barren or bitter experiences to test us. And so} Its barren surroundings provided the perfect place for God to test and shape the character of his people.] Now the previous passage said that Israel grumbled when they came to Marah. They grumbled against Moses and Aaron. And here we see that same word again. Verse 2 and following says… Exodus 16:2-3 (ESV)— 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.” A Lack of Perspective-- Now this is serious. The Israelites have become hungry in the wilderness and have begun to grumble against God. And not only that, but they have deluded themselves into thinking that they had actually been better off in Egypt and even accuse Moses and God of having intentions to kill them. Now it is not wrong to recognize a physical need, but when we grumble, it shows a lack of perspective on the blessings God has given us in life. “Rest in Peace”-- Once [A new business was opening and one of the owner's friends wanted to send him flowers for the occasion. They arrived at the new business site and the owner read the card,.... "Rest in Peace." The owner was angry and called the florist to complain. After he had told the florist of the obvious mistake and how angry he was, the florist replied, "Sir, I'm really sorry for the mistake, but rather than getting angry, you should imagine this: somewhere, there is a funeral taking place today, and they have flowers with a note saying,... 'Congratulations on your new location!’”] Sometimes it helps to have a little perspective. You know [Our forefathers did without sugar until the 13th century; without coal fires until the 14th; without buttered bread until the 16th; without tea or soap until the 17th; without gas, matches or electricity until the 19th; and without cars, canned or frozen foods until the 20th century. Now, what was it you were complaining about?] When we complain, we often times just need to get some perspective. This could have helped the Israelites. But their perspective has become so twisted that they began thinking about their slavery and abuse and affliction in Egypt as being better because they could eat whatever they wanted to. Moses a Saint-- Now complaining is never a pleasant experience to listen to. If there is a man to be pitied the most in scripture, in the top five (at least) would have to be Moses. Can you imagine being with a group of people who complained constantly? All They See-- This is exactly what is going on in our passage today. Israel has just been delivered from Egypt. They have just witnessed God’s miraculous deliverance, His provision of good water, comfort and shade amongst an abundance of water. Yet again they get to a point where all they see is the negative. And I have to stop and think, in our own walks with Christ, do we fail to recognize the good that God has done for us? Or are we too focused on our perceived lacks? Are we too quick to see the dryness and ask, “God, where are you?” When really all we have to do is look back and see how greatly He has moved and say, “God, how great are you!” God wants us to acknowledge our hardship; and He doesn’t mind hearing about them. But in our hardship we must also show that we are not failing to trust in the goodness of God and in His perfect will for our lives. Are you trusting in Him today? If not, do so. No joy is found in a complaining heart; but in a heart of submission and trust. Trust in Him today. Amen. Our passage today comes from Exodus 15:22-27.
God’s Deliverance-- God has just delivered Israel out of slavery and bondage to Egypt. And this deliverance represents a major milestone in God’s overarching plan of salvation. It is powerfully symbolic and has major spiritual implications. They were not only delivered out of Egypt, but were beginning the process through which they might come to know God and eventually experience total deliverance from sin. That is what the first passover in Egypt was all about, when they marked their doorposts with sheep’s blood in order that the death angel (who moved throughout Egypt striking the firstborn of the Egyptians) might see that blood on the doorposts of the Israelites and Pass Over. It was a picture of what God was going to do on a much larger scale for all of humanity in and through His Son Jesus, who would be the Lamb of God slain on a tree (who would have His blood shed) for the redemption of our sins in order that we might be delivered from death on an eternal scale. The Experience of Deliverance-- Now when we first experience deliverance from sin, there is rejoicing. Why? Because we have experienced God. We have felt Him move in our life in an amazing way, much as the Israelites experienced joy at their having been delivered from the Egyptians and having seen God’s hand move on their behalf. A Time of Rejoicing-- Now the story was pretty unbelievable. Israel had crossed the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s armies proceeded to follow them through the waters that God had miraculously parted by the hand of Moses; but then God closed the water over the Egyptians and delivered Israel from the hands of their enemies. Can you imagine a whole community of people being a witness to that story (as well as all the miracles done in Egypt)? They all share the same experience; the same testimony. And there is an eruption of rejoicing as they have finally come to experience deliverance. And it is a wonderful time of praise and singing. They have been redeemed! The Storms of Life-- Now at this point you would think that all their difficulties should be over, much like we often think when we come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We laugh at the idea that doubt or temptation could still have any power over us and often think that we are not going to have to face any storms. But that is not true. Even though the hand of God is with us, there are still a great many storms we must face. And as someone once said: Storms are a normal part of life. Either you are in one, coming out of one, or going into one. Either you are in one, coming out of one, or going into one. However, no matter how the waves are or how pressing the circumstances are, we must realize that God is even more powerful and that it is in the storms and trials that we face that we are most effectively fashioned into the likeness of Christ. And we do not have to dread the storm because we know the one who holds our hand and goes with us through every storm. And sometimes it is easy to forget the hand of God is with us. And so the challenge for us comes in remembering the strength of the one who is with us and continuing to place our trust in Him. And that is the lesson that the Israelites must begin to learn as they begin to face the many storms of life, beginning here in the wilderness just three days after their deliverance from Egypt. It says in… Exodus 15:22 (ESV)— 22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Moving Away from Egypt-- And so our story today begins with thirst. The Israelites have left Egypt. And remember that Egypt was a land of abundance. And why was it so abundant? What made Egypt a place of such wealth and prosperity? It was the Nile. The Nile River made it possible for Egypt to thrive and for irrigation to take place. Without the Nile, Egypt would be nothing but desert. So the Israelites are moving away not only from Egypt but from all the water of Egypt. And as they move farther away from Egypt, they begin to find themselves in difficult circumstances as they move from luscious green into the barren desert. And the waters of Egypt were no longer available. A Desert Time of Thirsting-- And this is the experience of every single person who comes into a relationship with God. There is a separation in our lives that comes when we make a break with our old lifestyle of sin and begin to embrace the way of Christ. Sin is no longer able to satisfy us because we now have a thirst for the Living Water of God to fill us more deeply than sin every could. And so often there comes a desert-time in our lives when our hearts become thirsty for Him in a deeper way, as we (in our own lives) move away from the waters of Egypt. And as Israel was moving away from Egypt, they would experience the presence of God in a profound and visual way; both His miraculous provision for their physical needs, but also for their spiritual needs as well. Because remember they are moving towards Sinai; where they would experience the presence of God coming down to dwell in their very midst; to encamp with them in the Tabernacle; which is actually referred to as the Tent of Meeting; where God would allow His life-giving presence to be met by His people. And Jesus still offers to us that life-giving presence; and yet in Jesus it goes even further; because in and through His work He makes it possible for God to not only dwell with us, but in us. And so the call to experience the life of God and ultimate fulfillment of all we thirst for is a really a call to come into the presence of Jesus. This is why it says in… John 7:37— “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” And for those of you who have drunk of the presence of Jesus, you know exactly how much He really does satisfy. And so the Israelites have begun to move away from the cisterns of Egypt. And they begin to experience thirst. So [Thirsting and not finding water was their first experience. Now they have a second experience that was not much better.] It says in… Exodus 15:23 (ESV)— 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah.[b] The Frustration-- Now imagine this. They have finally come to a place that has an abundance of water. So they can see it, they can feel its coolness. They can almost taste it. But that water is too salty to be consumed. It is undrinkable. So just think of the frustration. And in times of frustration it can be easy to doubt God’s plan. God’s Sovereign Plan-- But what we have to realize is that Israel coming to Marah was not an accident. It was part of the course that God had set for them. It did not catch God by surprise. He had always intended to lead them there. Now this is important because it reveals to us that the times of bitterness that you and I face are as much a part of the plan of God for our lives as the times of sweetness. When you and I go through a difficult experience, it is very easy to ask God why He allowed it. We may even feel like God is punishing us. But that is not the case. Anytime God allows us to go through a time of dryness or bitterness, it is only because He is preparing us for something. And we can either allow those bitter circumstances to make us bitter, or we can trust in God that He is using that trial in some way to make us better. In each and every one of our lives, we all have Marahs we have yet to face. Many of you have gone through or know people who have gone through these experiences. Some of you may be at a Marah now, wondering if you will ever taste sweetness again. But whatever that Marah might be, God is already there with you and has already promised to be your sustainer and your provider. The question is, are we going to trust Him? Putting All Your Weight Down-- A man named [Uncle Oscar was apprehensive about his first airplane ride. His friends, eager to hear how it went, asked if he enjoyed the flight. "Well," commented Uncle Oscar, "it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, but I'll tell you this. I never did put all my weight down!”] Now we recognize how foolish that guy was. Though he thought he wasn’t putting all his weight down, the plane was in fact carrying all his weight. But you know, we do the same thing with God. We debate about whether or not we can trust God and put our full weight down when the truth is we are already in His hands. It is not a question of whether or not He is in control, but whether or not we have accepted that He is in control and yield ourselves to that control. The struggle of Israel, for much of their history, was centered around their lack of faith and trust in God as their sole and sufficient source of everything they needed. When they turned to idols, it was because they did not think that God was enough. But He was. And the question you and I have to answer for ourselves is, “Do we believe (truly believe) that God is enough for us?” “Do we really trust Him?” Or have we, like the Israelites, forgotten the wonders He has already done for us? The Israelites had. Therefore it says in… Exodus 15:24 (ESV)-- 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” You know, it is easy to judge them, but we do the same thing all the time. God created us; He made a beautiful, life-sustaining world for you and I to live in; He has shown Himself faithful to meet every one of our needs. And yet during trials and storms, we (like Jesus’ own disciples were) we are often more conscious of the wind and the waves than of the Creator of the wind and waves sleeping with us in the boat. Now in our passage today we see that God does provide. While Israel fails to do the right thing, Moses doesn’t. He does exactly what we are to do. He goes to God with this difficult situation. It says… Exodus 15:25a (ESV)-- 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log {(or it can also be translated “a tree”)},[c] and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. This morning I want to encourage you to (in whatever trial you are facing) to come to Jesus. Whether you need is spiritual or physical; God has the power to meet that need. Now He may allow us to go through that time of testing. But the hope that we can have in every trial that we face is that (eventually) every trial will come to an end. You know it’s interesting. After in verse 27 it says… Exodus 15:27 (ESV)-- 27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water. God’s Elims for Us-- And this shows us that though God may lead us through some dry and bitter places, in the end His plan is to bring us to a place of sweetness. While you and I will face the Marahs, God also has some wonderful Elims for you and me as well; if we continue to trust in Him. Trust in Him today. He has a plan and purpose in every time of suffering; a purpose to mold and to shape you; and for your life to be made all the sweeter as you continue to abide Him. Abide in Him today. Amen. During our time together we have been studying the Tabernacle and talking about what it means to abide in the presence of God. And we have begun looking at a man from scripture who is (I think) one of the greatest examples of prayer warrior that we have; and that is the prophet Daniel. And just to give you a little background…
During the time of Babylon (where Israel has been in exile) the kingdom falls to Persia. And therefore there is a new king (a Persian King, by the name of Darius). He comes to power and encounters this man Daniel. And this is how powerful the witness of Daniel’s life was. Daniel, whose hunger for God drives him to excellence in all he does, so distinguishes himself among the administrators and satraps that King Darius plans to put him over the whole kingdom. Now the administrators and the satraps are not happy about that, so they immediately seek to find a basis to make charges against him. But the scriptures say They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent (NIV). What a wonderful testimony to have by the way. And these guys are getting frustrated. And finally they say, “You know what? We are never going to find any basis for charges against Daniel unless those charges have something to do with the law of his God.” And so they trick the then self-worshiping king into making a law that cannot be changed; that for the next thirty days, anyone who prays to anyone or anything except to him will be thrown into the lions’ den. And so Darius signs the decree. Now I love Daniel’s reaction to this when he hears of it. It is the same reaction he had when he heard that Nebuchadnezzar was going to have all the wise men in Babylon (including himself) put to death. “he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” Now here we begin to see the secret of Daniel’s spiritual hunger. And that was that he had cultivated a steady prayer life. Now this “upstairs room” very likely was not just a normal part of his house. [Some scholars believe that Daniel had a prayer chamber built on top of his house, with the windows permanently open toward Jerusalem.] But no matter how you look at it, this was a very visual demonstration of his devotion to God. And though he could have allowed himself of become puffed up and arrogant in his exalted position as the chief administrator of the whole Medo-Persian empire, he didn’t. Instead we find that the posture that defined Daniel’s life was that of kneeling; he showed a spirit not unlike David, recognizing that he was merely a servant in the hands of God. Now I want you to picture Daniel, kneeling by the window. And the windows are open. Why are the windows open? Is it because he is being defiant? After all, doesn’t Jesus say later that you ought to pray in secret so that the Father, who sees in secret, might reward you? Don’t make a show about it. Well here Daniel seems to be making a show about it. Why? Is he being arrogant and defiant? No, I don’t think so. Remember that Israel was going through a very difficult time right now. They had been commanded by God to worship only him, but ever since they were taken into captivity by Babylon, and now Persia, they have been surrounded by people who were worshiping multiple gods, performing indecent acts, and participating in a variety of horrific pagan practices. They were heartbroken because the Temple of their God, which they believed would never fall, had fallen. They were hopeless exiles, wondering if perhaps they should just throw in the towel and merge with their pagan neighbors and worship their gods as well as the Persian King. Yet God had given His people a mighty demonstration of His providence. By the miraculous hand of God, a ruler of Persia had been chosen from among them. And he was a ruler that had THEIR best interests at heart. His room with his open windows was a beacon of hope for Israel, because it showed that God's providence was still at work for them. That open window where Daniel prayed was his way of encouraging them to remain hungry for God; to maintain an appetite for Him alone. And they could see that hunger lived out in him, where he prayed in their sight not once; not twice; but three times a day, modeling for them the kind of desire they needed to have for God and His deliverance. But notice something else about this passage. Not only are the windows open, but they are open towards Jerusalem, which remember is very far away (he can’t even see it). Is this because he misses home? No. He’s been away from home for almost 70 years now, so I think he is over his homesickness by now. Is it because he misses his family? No, his family (if they are still alive) are among the rest of the Israelites here with him in captivity. Is it because he misses the promised land? Maybe in part, but the scripture doesn’t tell us his window faced towards the general area of the promised land. No, it is more specific. His window faced towards Jerusalem. Why is that important? (PAUSE) Because that is where God’s house is; in the Temple in Jerusalem. You see...Daniel...is yearning...for God!!! And he will never be satisfied until he is where God dwells. In and throughout the Psalms you can see how God’s chosen people loved Jerusalem; how they yearned for the house of the Lord: "How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (Psalm 84:1-2) Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." (Psalm 84:10) Now Israel, for the most part, had lost that hunger for their God, which is why God sent them into exile in the first place. But did you know that Daniel’s prayer towards Jerusalem is also a direct fulfillment of prophecy? Remember how Daniel and his friends found favor in the eyes of their captors? Well this was a direct answer to King Solomon’s prayer for them hundreds of years earlier, when he foresaw the possibility of an exile. Listen to what he asks God in I Kings 8:46-50 to do for them. It is incredible…… I Kings 8:46-50 (ESV)-- 46 “If they [Your people] sin against you— for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near, 47 yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 48 if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, 49 then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause 50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them Isn’t that amazing? Daniel is modeling for Israel the kind of repentance they need by facing that city; that house that Solomon had built for the NAME of the Lord. In a similar way, so ought we to model for our generation what true repentance looks like; what it means to be hungry and thirsty for God. Now the Rulers and Satraps knew when Daniel would pray, because it was like clockwork. So it says in… Daniel 6:11-24 (NIV)-- 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. And of course they turn him over to the king who (though not wanting to thrown him to the lions, because of the law he made) has to do so. And he says, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” And God’s angel visits Daniel and shuts the mouths of the lions and when Darius come the next morning, he finds Daniel alive and has him pulled out and his accusers thrown in; and then Darius says something remarkable. Listen to this. And keep in mind this is a pagan king. The scriptures say that… Daniel 6:25-28 (NIV)-- 25 Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: “May you prosper greatly! 26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. 27 He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” 28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus[b] the Persian. Talk about having an impact on the world for God! Unbelievable! Because of one man's faithfulness to live a life of integrity and holiness before his God, the course of Israel was changed as the entire nation of Persia turned in worship to God. Why? Because Daniel remained hungry for God. So it is amazing to see what God can do through one man who remains hungry and thirsty for Him. I wonder what would happen if we could become hungry for God like that. What would happen if you and I began earnestly praying for God to give us a hunger for Him; and then satisfy that hunger by lunging into His presence; praying fiercely; not merely reading, but devouring God’s Word; and setting ourselves to doing His work. That is our challenge this week. As we continue in our devotional lives, let us pray that God might establish in us an enduring hunger for Him. And when He gives us that hunger, let us eat until we are satisfied and even more. And I promise you, both our hunger for Him and the level of blessing we allow Him to give us will grow exponentially. Let us cultivate a habit of prayer. Amen. |
Rev. Cameron Ury graduated from Asbury University in 2007 with a B.A. in Bible and Theology. From there he continued his studies at Wesley Biblical Seminary in Jackson, MS. It was there that he met his wife Tanya, who graduated from WBS with her M.A. and M.Div. degrees. Cameron and Tanya got married in 2009. Cameron then graduated with his M.Div. degree with a pastoral concentration in 2011.
After shepherding churches in both Mississippi and Ohio, they joined the ministry team at Renton Park Chapel in January of 2018, where Cameron serves as Senior Pastor and Teacher. Cameron is also the founder and host of Lechem Panim, a weekly radio show that airs on KGNW 820AM "The Word Seattle". The ministry of Lechem Panim is centered around leading people into the life-giving presence of God in and through Bible study, prayer, and active discipleship with the aim of ministering to a world that is in desperate need of the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Archives
March 2020
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