This sermon was preached at Glenwood and Canoe Ridge Lutheran Churches, Decorah, Iowa on August 5, 2018. It’s based on Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 and John 6:24-35. If you’d prefer to listen to it, find it at https://soundcloud.com/stacey-nalean-carlson.
Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
2The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.”
9Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’ ” 10And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 12“I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
13In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”
John 6:24-35
24When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were [beside the sea,] they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
25When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” 28Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” 29Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? 31Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
It only took three days in the desert, without finding water, for the newly freed Israelites to first grumble against Moses, saying, What are we to drink? God provided water. Problem solved.
Until, approximately six weeks later, the whole congregation began complaining again. If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
This could be a Snickers commercial, right? Remember that 2010 Super Bowl ad, with Betty White as a football player who’s playing like Betty White?1 All that hangry player needs is a Snickers bar to snap back to his formidable self. The message? You’re not you when you’re hungry. So eat a Snickers bar. Snickers satisfies.
The Israelites are hangry, that lovely combination of hungry and angry. I’m imagining they’re also afraid. Freedom is so frightening, that they’re looking at their time in slavery through rose-colored glasses. Remember when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread?
Forget about the harsh labor the Egyptians inflicted on us. Forget about how they worked us ruthlessly. Forget about how they beat us and commanded the murders of our baby boys. At least we had food.
You’re not you when you’re hungry. You’re not you when you’re afraid.
You can’t see clearly. You can’t remember what life was really like. You forget—even—what you know, what you’ve experienced already, of the God who’s leading you in the desert.
You forget God heard your cries. You forget God brought you out of the land of slavery with a mighty hand. You forget how God fought for you, dividing the waters so you could cross on dry ground.
You forget you put your trust in God. You forget you sang God’s praises. Don’t you remember? It sounded like this: In your steadfast love you lead us, the people you redeemed; by your strength you guide us home (Exodus 15:13 paraphrased). You sang that, voices filled with emotion.
But you’re not you when you’re hungry. You’re not you when you’re afraid. You’re not you in the wilderness, far from all you’ve ever known and a long way yet from where God intends to lead you.
Have you been in the wilderness lately? Have you been so undone by the uncertainty that you’ve longed to return to days that weren’t even good, but that at least were certain? Days where you knew what to expect, even if what was expected was far from life-giving?
The God who brought you out of slavery into freedom is not about to abandon you in the wilderness. The God who fought for you hears your cries and fights for you still. Hungry? Hangry? Afraid? God rains down bread from heaven for you. Jesus, the bread of life, gives life to the world.
He has come down from heaven to abide with you…in the wilderness, in the doctor’s office, in the midst of your anxiety and sorrow. He has come down from heaven to feed you…to provide you, daily, with all that you need.
When life is uncertain, when the way ahead is unclear, when you don’t know what the next day will bring, remember. God hears your cries. God brought you out of captivity to sin and death. God fought for you, rescuing you from the grave.
Remember. You can trust God. You can sing God’s praises: In your steadfast love you lead us, the people you redeemed; by your strength you guide us home.
You’re not you when you’re hungry. So God comes to feed you. Jesus satisfies. Amen.
1Watch the Snickers commercial here: https://www.youtube.com.
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