Pentecost 11 (Proper 13), August 4, 2024 Feed Me!
Text: Ex. 16:2–15
Other Lessons: Psalm 145:10–21; Ephesians 4:1–16; John 6:22–35 Sermon Theme: God provides the nourishment we need for our hungry bodies and souls in the bread that comes down from heaven, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Sermon Goal: That you trust that the miraculous feeding of the Israelites with the manna from heaven promises both physical and the ultimate spiritual feeding God provides in the true bread from heaven, his Son, Jesus Christ. Based on a sermon outline in CPR by Rev. Dr. Jeffrey E. Skopak
Sermon: Food and water are basic necessities that everyone needs to survive. Without food and water, we can’t live. When the Israelites left the land of Egypt, there was hope for a future in their own land, there was a measure of fear of the Egyptian army pursuing them, and there was faith that God would lead them quickly through the desert wilderness. So when the tenth plague occurred, the Egyptians urged the Israelites to leave in haste (Exodus 12). There wasn’t time to prepare and pack the proper provisions for such a journey. This was going to be a journey that was dependent upon faith. But did the Israelites have any idea how long this journey was going to take? Did they realize how much food and water they were going to need? When Egypt said, “Go!” the Israelites left. Fast-forward thirty days. Now the Lord had provided signs and wonders—the Passover, being led by a pillar of fire and cloud, the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, the provision of water at Marah and Elim. And still the Israelites had a problem. Roughly one month into their journey, Israel began to complain: “And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, . . . ‘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’ ” (vv 2–3). The Israelites were fearful they were going to starve in the wilderness. Hunger can cause real panic—especially when everyone around you is hungry. But God Provides the Nourishment We Need for Our Hungry Bodies and Souls in the Bread That Comes Down from Heaven, Jesus Christ, Our Lord. We are starving in and because of our sin. There is no surprise that the food supply the Israelites brought out of Egypt is running out. Nor should we be surprised that the Israelites are now complaining about their plight. They found themselves in a desolate place—a place of rocks and limestone cliffs, a place not suited to sustain the nation of Israel. How desperate did they feel? “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt” (v 3). That’s how desperate! Sin was Their fear and physical hunger displayed lack of trust in Moses, Aaron, and, most of all, the Lord. bubbling from their hearts and mouths. At first glance, it’s not easy for us to relate to Israel’s predicament but look closer.
We, too, are burdened with fear in a desert place—the desert of sin—and so much of that sin arises over material things we have or think we should have. When confronted with the righteous Law of God and as materially blessed as we are, we see our selfish attitudes and lack of concern for others. We discover that we have continually grumbled against the Lord for what we don’t have, and we look backward or forward through rose-colored glasses to how much better things used to be or should be in our futures!
As we wander around this metaphorical desert, we discover that we, too, need food. No, not manna and quail, but soul-sustaining food. With longing eyes and troubled souls we look heavenward and cry out to the Lord, “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
Thank the Lord he feeds our hungry souls! The Lord provides the spiritual food we desperately need. Our “What is this?” is the very bread of life, Jesus Christ. It is he who says of himself, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (Jn 6:35).
This bread of life, Jesus Christ, forgives our sins through his perfect sacrifice on the cross. It’s because the cross has taken away the sin that separated us from God that we receive all God’s good gifts, including material ones, whatever our manna and quail may be.
And because Jesus’ cross has reconciled us to God, we know he’s never holding back even any material things that are truly best for us. But, of course, far more important, he’s always feeding our souls for eternity. He nourishes our faith with his Word and feeds us with his very body and blood in the Sacrament of the Altar. When we cry, “Feed me!” he is always there to forgive, renew, and strengthen his dear children. Jesus himself would say, “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. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (Jn 6:32–33).Amen.