"Complaining"

Well, good morning, church. It's good to see you all this morning. Would you turn with me to the book of Numbers?

That is the fourth book of the Old Testament. It begins on page 101 in the Pew Bible.

We're picking up in chapter 11 today on page 111 or page 112 if you have one of the new Pew Bibles.

Now, the book of Numbers gets a pretty bad rap, I think, because the first few chapters are just that,

a long list of counting the people of Israel before they leave Mount Sinai, chapter after chapter of

Numbers. How spiritually edifying could that be, right? Now, of course, in a congregation like ours,

I know some of you love math and numbers and spreadsheets, so maybe you crack into the book

of Numbers and you feel like Han Solo stepping onto the Millennium Falcon. You're like,

Chewy, we're home. But numbers does get a pretty bad rap on the whole, I think, as being somewhat

impractical and somewhat boring. And yet, and yet, that is not the way that the New Testament and the

early church saw the book of Numbers. In fact, the Apostle Paul spends a whole chapter of 1 Corinthians

almost, 1 Corinthians chapter 10, talking basically about Numbers. Listen to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 10 · chapter mention

10, 1 through 6. He says,

Then Paul says this, he says,

Now, these things took place as examples for us. And then after giving a bunch of examples from mostly

Numbers, Paul again says, now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down

for our instruction on whom the end of the ages has come. Now, do you see what Paul is saying here?

Do you see what the apostles in the early church understood about the Old Testament, even the book

of Numbers? They understood that God had written down these things not just for people long ago,

but also and especially for us. They understood that the church, having received the fulfillment of

the Old Testament promises, needs those Old Testament examples so that we might live faithfully today

in the fulfillment of those promises. Now, we get the title Numbers from the Greek translation of this

book, but do you know what the Hebrew title is? Hebrew title of this book is called Bamidbar,

In the Wilderness, In the Wilderness. That's a much cooler title, don't you think? In the Wilderness,

and a much more accurate one for the bulk of what this book is about. As Pastor Matt laid out last week,

this book is about a journey through the wilderness, a journey with our faithful, holy, gracious,

and sovereign God. It's about the temptations and trials that the Old Testament church faced

as they traveled to the promised land, and it's about the trials and temptations that the New

Testament church faces as we head towards the new heavens and the new earth. And above all,

this book is about the God who goes with us in the wilderness, who's faithful to His people,

and who's faithful to His promises. And today, in Numbers chapter 11, we're going to look at the

Numbers 11 · chapter mention

first step of that journey. Remember last week, Pastor Matt took a bird's-eye view of chapters 1

through 10, and in chapter 10, the people are ready to go, the trumpets sound, and they march forth from

Sinai with the tabernacle in their midst. The cloud and fire of God's own presence is guiding them.

What could go wrong, right? Well, let's read the first nine verses of Numbers 11,

and let's see how their journey begins. And Josh, on the slides, I'm going to take it in chunks,

so just kind of follow along with me throughout the sermon. Sound good? Good. All right, so let's look

at verses 1 through 7. They just left. They just started walking through the wilderness.

This is how it starts. And the people complained. And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord

about their misfortunes. And when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled. And the fire of the Lord

burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses,

and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. So the name of that place was called Tabarah,

because the fire of the Lord burned among them. Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving.

And the people of Israel also wept again and said, Oh, that we had meat to eat. We remember the fish we

ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.

But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.

Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. The people went

about and gathered it and ground it in hand mills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made

cakes of it. And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. When the dew fell upon the

camp in the night, the manna fell with it. Okay, so no sooner have the people struck out on their great

journey to the promised land, no sooner have they finally begun their march with God Himself at their

head, no sooner have they set forth, then they start complaining and grumbling. Now Numbers 11 actually

records two separate instances of grumbling and complaining. The first at a place they come to

call taberah, which means burning in verses 1 through 3, and the second in verses 4 through 9 at a place

kind of not too far away, just down the road, that they'll come to call kibroth hatah avah, which we'll

see what that means at the end of the story. And the complaint in the first instance seems to be about

something, you know, it seems to be about what they're facing. And the complaint in the second

instance seems to be about what they're lacking. They're facing in verse 1 misfortunes or hardships,

and they're lacking in verse 5, as they say, meat to eat.

Now perhaps at first grumbling or complaining, it doesn't strike us as the sort of greatest

spiritual danger facing the church today, right? I mean, who cares if we grumble or complain, right?

Is it really all that bad? Sometimes we can even excuse our complaining spirit by saying,

well, that's just my personality, you know, I'm a bit of a curmudgeon.

But, you know, Numbers 11 would have us reassess, maybe, our carefree attitude towards grumbling and

complaining. When the complaining of the people reaches the Lord's ears in verse 1, what happens?

His anger burns, and fire circles the edges of the camp. Now, Numbers doesn't say how the Lord sends

fire, maybe it was some lightning or something like that, nor does it say if anyone is actually hurt

in that burning. But the people realize suddenly that they are in danger, and in response they cry out

to Moses for help, and Moses intercedes for them, and the fire dies down. Are we willing to hear

this warning about a complaining and grumbling spirit? Perhaps complaining and grumbling is worse

than we give it credit for. Why? Well, notice some things that we learn about grumbling and complaining

in this passage. Notice in this passage how complaining is contagious. The complaining in

verses 4 through 6 starts with what our ESV calls a rabble. One Jewish commentator on Numbers translate this

word as riffraff in verse 4. So, the riffraff starts complaining, but then suddenly what happens?

The whole camp is grumbling and crying out. You see, a complaining spirit infects those in contact with

it. It's like a virus that spreads. And notice in this passage how it's not just contagious, but

complaining kind of grows in its intensity. What starts out as a kind of general grumbling about their

hardships in verses 1 through 3 grows in verses 4 through 6 to a specific longing, even a craving,

for the food they used to eat in Egypt. The general murmur about it being kind of tough to walk through

the wilderness becomes more specific and more intense. Suddenly, the man is no good. They want

fish and cucumbers and garlic. Oh, garlic. They want to go back to Egypt.

And now we start to really see why complaining is so spiritually deadly. Ultimately, complaining is a

spirit that rejects God's provision. Manna was God's gift to them. Manna was His miraculous way of

sustaining them in the wilderness. What an incredible dishonor to God to look back at melons and cucumbers

and say, rather than God's presence guiding me, rather than God's miraculous provision sustaining me,

I'd rather go back to Egypt. Complaining takes our eyes off of God's goodness and steals His glory.

But lastly, complaining, it narrows our vision and it begins to distort reality.

God is taking His people. What is God doing in this part of Numbers? God's taking His people

to a land that's flowing with milk and honey, as the metaphor says. He's promised to protect and provide

for them the whole way. He's already sent plagues on Egypt. He's already parted the Red Sea. He's

already given them manna to eat. He's already displayed His glory on Mount Sinai. They are a people

who have been freed, who have been liberated by the God who created all things, and God is leading them

to a home. But instead of that vision filling their sights, a spirit of complaining takes root,

and they'd rather go back to slavery in Egypt so long as they could eat some cucumbers and melons

and garlic. Complaining has narrowed their vision and distorted reality. Complaining has narrowed their

vision of what God truly has in store for His people. I mean, wouldn't a few months in the

wilderness be worth dwelling in the promised land, generation upon generation upon generation?

And complaining distorts reality. Complaining and grumbling has made their slavery in Egypt seem

not so bad after all. They seem to have forgotten that Pharaoh had institutionalized the killing of

their male children, had forced them to labor under the oppression of his regime, and had treated them

like property to be disposed of. I mean, in their complaining, the people have in essence said,

I'd rather have that than God. And that's why fire breaks out on the edges of the camp, you see.

It's God's warning to His people. The way of complaining, the way of grumbling, the way of

discontent, it's the way, actually, of spiritual death. What does fire do? Fire, it disintegrates things,

right? It takes something that's solid and substantive, and it turns it into ash. The fire is

basically saying if the people persist in complaining, then it will be their spiritual

disintegration. The fire is a warning, and it's on the edges of the camp. Why is it on the edges of the

camp? Because it's driving the people back to the center, right? And what's in the center of the camp?

Do you remember from the first chapters of Numbers? Why did…what did God tell them to build right in

the middle of their camp? The tabernacle, the tent where God's presence would symbolically dwell in

their midst. God's trying to discipline them, to warn them, to come back to Him,

and not go along the paths of spiritual disintegration and grumbling, complaining, craving.

But as we see in verses 4 through 6, the complaining grows.

So the opening of chapter 11 helps us to see this danger of complaining, the danger. But it's not just

the people who complain. It's also Moses. After the general grumbling about hardships in verse 1,

Moses intercedes for the people. But when the complaining grows in verses 4 through 6,

Moses begins to despair. All right, let's pick up the story in verse 10. In verse 10,

Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent,

and the anger of the Lord blazed hotly. And Moses was displeased. Moses said to the Lord,

why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight,

that you lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them

birth that you should say to me, carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing child,

to the land that you swore to give to their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all

this people? For they weep before me and say, give us meat that we may eat. I am not able to carry

all this people alone. The burden is too heavy for me. If you will treat me like this, kill me at once

if I found favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness. Sounds like parents on a road trip,

right? With kids in the back seat. What does Moses complaining teach us? Well, for one thing,

notice how often Moses says in this section, I or me.

Complaining, you see, makes us kind of curve in on ourselves, and it just fosters self-pity,

and out of self-pity comes despair. The people wanted to go back to Egypt, but Moses, completely

overwhelmed, collapsing and complaining in self-pity, would rather God just put him out of his misery

right now. Friends, perhaps you're not like Moses, utterly despairing. Perhaps you're not like the

Israelites, wishing a return to slavery just so they can eat a few fish with melons. But listen to what

the Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 2 that Peter read for us earlier. He says,

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent children of God

without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation among whom you shine as lights in the

world. You see, the New Testament gives us a picture of the church being a people who shine like stars in

the midst of the dark. And what is one of the marks of our brightness as the people of Christ,

that we can do all things without grumbling or disputing, or grumbling and complaining,

as the NIV translates it. Complaining makes our lives very narrow, very self-centered. In the midst of

hardship, the Israelites started looking back to Egypt, and Moses couldn't stop thinking about himself

in self-pity. But instead, the New Testament calls us to shine like stars without complaining or

grumbling, with our vision wide to God's goodness and God's future, with our eyes not on ourselves,

but on Him. So what are you or I prone to complain about? Perhaps like the Israelites in Numbers 11,

you complain about the hardships or misfortunes that you're facing. Or maybe you complain about the

material things you're lacking. Are you and I willing to hear the warning of Numbers 11,

that this complaining will only narrow our vision, distort our reality, fill us with self-pity,

and ultimately dishonor the God who saves us?

But what's the solution? What's the solution? How do we stop being a people of a complaining spirit?

Well, let's continue to follow the story of Numbers 11, and let's see how God responds. Let's pick up in

verse 16. Then the Lord said to Moses,

"'Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and

officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with

you. And I will come down and talk with you there, and I will take some of the spirit that is on you

and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it

yourself alone. And say to the people, consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat,

for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, who will give us meat to eat? For it was

better for us in Egypt. Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall not eat

just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, but all month, until it comes

out of your nostrils, and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among

you, and have wept before Him, saying, why did we come out of Egypt? But Moses said,

"'The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, I will give

them meat that they may eat a whole month? Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough

for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?'

And the Lord said to Moses, "'Is the Lord's hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will

come true for you or not.'" So the Lord speaks to Moses, and He answers both Moses' complaint and the

people's complaint. God promises to send help to Moses and to send meat for the people. And when Moses

expresses doubt that God could send meat for so many people, God says to Moses, "'Is the Lord's hand

shortened?' In other words, Moses, do you think I'm not powerful enough to do this? And that's perhaps

the first step out of a complaining spirit, to look again to God's mighty, sovereign, redeeming hand.

You face trials and hardships. You don't know how you're going to go on. Your job is a mess. Or parenting

has you at your wit's end. Or your friends are leaving you. Or your neighbors are difficult. Or

your marriage is in a rocky spot. And you can feel the complaining spirit rise in your heart. "'Why me?

Why does this have to happen to me? God's led me into this wilderness, and He's abandoned me. Why do I

even bother?' But then the Lord speaks and says, "'Is my hand too short to save you, to provide for you,

to preserve you?' The hand of the Lord that brought Egypt to its knees, the hand of the Lord that parted

the Red Sea, the hand of the Lord that drowned Pharaoh's army, the hand of the Lord that gives

you manna, gives you daily bread every day, the hand of the Lord that shaped the mountains, and filled

the seas, and put the planets in their orbits around the sun. Is this hand of the Lord too short

to meet you in your need, in your misfortunes, in your lack?' No, brothers and sisters, the Lord's hand

is never too short. His sovereign, sustaining, almighty hand will give you exactly what you need

to persevere in every circumstance. He will always fulfill His promises. This is what God says to

Moses after pointing Moses to the hand of His power. He points Moses then to His word. Is the Lord's hand

shortened? Now you will see whether My word will come true for you or not. After setting our minds on the

power of God, we can set our minds on the promises of God. Here's the next step out of a complaining

spirit, God's promises. God's promises are good, and His promises are transforming. Listen to what Peter

says in 2 Peter 1, verses 3-4. He says, "'God's divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to

2 Peter 1:3–4

life and godliness through the knowledge of His own glory and excellence by which He has granted to us

His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of His divine nature,

having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.'" How do we begin to

shine like stars? We look to God's promises because if complaining narrows our vision, if complaining distorts our

understanding of reality, the power and promise of God starts to expand our vision again. It brings us back to

what's really real. So how does God fulfill His word then to Moses? Well, let's continue in verse 24 of Numbers 11.

So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered seventy men of the elders

of the people and placed them around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him and

took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the spirit rested

on them, they prophesied, but they did not continue doing it. Now two men remained in the camp, one named

Eldad and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they

had not gone out to the tent. And so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses,

Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp. And Joshua, the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from

his youth, said, "'My Lord, Moses, stop them.'" But Moses said to him, "'Are you jealous for my sake?'

Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit on them."

And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

So God promises that He will empower seventy elders of the people, seventy officers, to come

alongside Moses with the spiritual task of shepherding the people. And that's exactly what

He does. God sends His Spirit, and as a sign that these men have been set apart, they prophesy.

And not as an ongoing ministry. Verse 25 says they didn't continue doing it, but they prophesy once

as a sign that they're now equipped and set apart to fulfill this co-shepherding work with Moses.

It's not clear what the nature of this prophecy was. Most likely they spoke words of praise and

adoration to God and words of encouragement and exhortation to the people. But from here on out,

Moses wouldn't have to be the only one spiritually caring for the people. Moses would still have a

special and unique role as the leader of God's people. We'll see more about that in chapter 12

next week. But the burden for caring for the people would now continue to be shared.

And how does Moses respond to this work of the Spirit of God?

Notice that two of these seventy men, Eldad and Medad, weren't able to be at the tabernacle when God's

Spirit came down that day. We aren't told why they couldn't be there, but nevertheless,

God's Spirit comes and rests on them and they too prophesy. And then Joshua, getting news of this,

afraid that this might steal some of Moses' authority and take away some of Moses' honor,

tells Moses, Moses, you have to make them stop. But how does Moses respond?

Notice, notice Moses' change of heart here.

In verses 10 through 15, Moses couldn't stop thinking about himself.

But now, Moses has given up his self-pity and his self-centeredness and says,

don't be jealous for my glory, Joshua. If God wants to put His Spirit on all of God's people,

then that would be the greatest gift of all.

You see, now Moses is thinking about God's glory and God's honor.

And of course, one day God would fulfill this word that Moses spoke.

When Jesus Christ ascended on high to the Father's right hand and poured out the Spirit at Pentecost,

all of God's people were now filled with the Spirit.

And that is true of every believer in Jesus Christ today.

God's Spirit causes us to be born anew,

grants a saving faith,

empowers us,

and equips us for service,

preserves and keeps us

throughout our days.

The Spirit dwells in us richly.

And doesn't that strike a blow

to our complaining hearts?

God has filled us

with His Spirit.

We're not left alone

or abandoned

in this wilderness journey.

The church is not wandering aimlessly.

We have the Spirit of God in us.

And Paul says in Philippians 2.13,

it's God who works in you,

both to will and to work

for His good pleasure.

Rather than giving in

to the self-pity of a complaining heart,

we have hearts that are dependent

on the Spirit's work in us.

Yes, we will face trials and hardships

in this wilderness.

What did you expect?

Anything worth doing

is going to have challenges

and hardships.

But how much greater

is the provision

that God has given us,

the provision of His own Spirit

dwelling in us

to face these challenges,

to face these hardships?

In 1 Corinthians 10.13,

after giving all those examples

from Numbers

of the evils we should avoid,

Paul then writes this.

He says,

no temptation has overtaken you.

That is not common to man.

God is faithful.

And He will not let you

be tempted beyond your ability.

But with the temptation,

He will also provide

the way of escape

that you may be able to endure it.

Brothers and sisters,

let our complaining

be turned instead

to depending on the Spirit

for strength and endurance

and wisdom and help.

So God's provision to Moses

helps us to see

God's provision to us today.

But the chapter ends,

the chapter ends with a warning.

At the beginning of chapter 11,

the people started to despise

the manna and instead

they longed for meat,

like the meat they used

to eat in Egypt.

And God, in judgment,

gives them exactly

what they ask for.

Let's read the rest

of chapter 11,

picking up in verse 31.

Then a wind from the Lord

sprang up,

and it brought quail

from the sea

and let them fall

beside the camp.

About a day's journey

on this side

and a day's journey

on that side

around the camp

and about two cubits

above the ground.

And the people rose

all that day

and all night

and all the next day

and gathered the quail.

Those who gathered least

gathered ten homers

and they spread them out

for themselves

all around the camp.

While the meat

was yet between their teeth,

before it was consumed,

the anger of the Lord

was kindled

against the people

and the Lord

struck down the people

with a very great plague.

Therefore,

the name of that place

was called

Kebroth Hata'avah

because there

they buried the people

who had the craving.

And from Kebroth Hata'avah,

the people journeyed

to Hazeroth

and they remained

at Hazeroth.

Even after the warning

of verses 1 through 3,

even after the outpouring

of the Spirit

in verses 24 through 30,

the people still

craved meat.

So in judgment,

God gave them

exactly what they asked for.

The Lord sends a wind

and it pushes

a massive flock

of migratory quail

right to them

and the quail

begin to come down

and fall in quantities

that allow everyone

who wants it

to gather basketful

upon basketful.

And as the meat

is drying

and curing

in the sun

and as those

who left the camp

to gather the quail

are starting

to fill their bellies

with it,

as it's sticking

in their teeth,

a plague breaks out

and many die.

They got what they asked for,

a belly full of meat.

And perhaps the implication

seems to be

that the meat

was full of a disease

that killed many

of those who ate it.

Romans 1 says

that the wrath of God

is often expressed

in this age

when God gives us over

to the disordered desires

of our own fallen hearts.

What if,

what if God gave you

all the money

and the sex

and the power

that you crave?

What if He gave it all

to you,

everything you complain

about,

everything you crave?

Would that be heaven

or would that be hell?

The truth is,

it would be hell

because it would be

a life separated

from God

who alone

is life

and goodness

and beauty

and truth.

You can have

everything

this world

has to offer,

but without

a living relationship

with God,

none of it

will satisfy

because only God

can truly satisfy

our souls.

And look at what God

had already

provided for them.

Did God want

the Israelites

to be miserable

as they journeyed

through the wilderness?

Did God,

was God intention

for them

to be dour

and unhappy

and emaciated

as they traveled

through the promised land

as a sign

that they were

really spiritual

and holy?

No!

That's not

the sort of God He is.

How do we know that?

Well,

look at what God

had provided

for them.

In verses

seven through nine,

there's this

seemingly

extraneous

description

of the manna.

We get this

description

of the manna

that God

provided for the people

every day

of their journey

through the wilderness.

The people are sick

and tired

of manna

in verse six.

But what do we learn

about this manna?

Is it crusty,

stale bread

that barely satisfies?

Is it something

you just as soon

feed to the birds

rather than feed

to yourself?

No.

Look at those verses

again.

What do we see

about this manna?

First,

in verse seven,

it's something

that's kind of pleasant

to look at.

Bdellium is a kind

of golden resin.

It's like amber

or like orange glass.

It would have shown

in the sun

and given off

this kind of warm glow.

And in verse eight,

we learn that this manna

was sort of versatile.

They could boil it.

They could make cakes

out of it.

Yes,

it was the same

starting point,

but they could adapt it.

They could be creative

with it.

Like the wall of bread

at G Cafe.

There's dozens of styles

and shapes and colors

and textures.

You can have challah one day.

You can have that round one

that looks kind of gross

the next day, you know.

But it wasn't just pleasant

to look at

or versatile to cook with.

The end of verse eight

tells us that it tasted

really good.

And the taste of it

was like the taste

of cakes baked with oil.

Compare that with Exodus 16, 31

where we're told

that the taste of manna

was like wafers

made with honey.

So what did God want

the Israelites to eat

as they journeyed

through the wilderness?

He wanted them to eat

something that was

beautiful to look at,

that was versatile

to cook with,

that was delicious

to the taste.

Was God out to make

His people miserable

in the wilderness

with His provision?

Not at all.

God is a good Father

who gives good gifts

to His children to enjoy.

It's as if God

was giving them

fresh baked croissants

every day.

And miraculously,

these croissants

were actually nutritious

enough to sustain them.

I mean, that sounds awesome, right?

Like, if I could eat

croissants every day

and have enough energy

and nutrition

to hike through the wilderness,

I would take that deal

hands down, wouldn't you?

The tragedy of Numbers 11

is that the people

are more eager

to leave the camp

for a basket full

of dead quail

than to remain

in the camp

with the bread of heaven

that tastes like

honey and butter

and always keeps them

satisfied for the journey ahead.

But friends,

here's the good news.

If the manna

that God provided

in the wilderness

was miraculous

and satisfying,

as a church,

we have something

even greater today.

We have a manna

that's sweeter

and more satisfying

than anything

the Old Testament

people of God experienced.

We have a bread

from heaven

that doesn't just

satisfy the body

or the tongue,

but that satisfies

the soul

and will never

leave us hungry again.

In John chapter 6,

John 6 · chapter mention

Jesus feeds the 5,000,

and when the crowds

later come back to Him,

and some of them

kind of start grumbling

because they're not really sure

what to make of this Jesus.

Jesus says in verses 48

through 51,

He says,

I'm the bread of life.

Your fathers ate manna

in the wilderness

and they died.

This is the bread

that comes down

from heaven

so that one may eat of it

and not die.

I'm the living bread

that came down from heaven.

If anyone eats this bread,

he'll live forever.

You see, friends,

Jesus is telling us here

that He's the true

and better manna.

The manna was pleasant

to look at.

Ah, but the beauty

of Jesus Christ

is even greater.

His love,

His mercy,

His forgiveness,

His kindness,

His glory.

We will behold Him forever

and never cease

to adore Him.

The manna was versatile,

but Jesus Christ

is able to meet us

in all of our needs.

There is no soul

that His grace

cannot fulfill.

Every tribe,

tongue,

and nation,

male and female,

young and old,

rich and poor.

Jesus is the Savior

of all people,

no matter who you are

or where you've been,

no matter how great

your sins and failures,

no matter how deep

your scars and shame.

He's the all-sufficient Savior.

But the manna wasn't just

pleasant to look at

or versatile to use,

it was sweet to the taste.

A friend of you

tasted the sweetness

of Jesus.

I know that sounds

kind of weird at first,

but do you know

the sweet comfort

that He brings to the soul

better than honey,

better than rich oil or wine?

In that same passage

of John 6,

Jesus compares believing

and trusting in Him

to eating His flesh.

That's an arresting metaphor,

isn't it?

And Jesus meant it to be.

It means that faith

in Jesus Christ

is intimate.

It's the sort of trust

you put in a friend,

in a parent,

in a lover.

It's a whole life embrace.

And Jesus says,

come,

come embrace me

and I'll embrace you

and I'll keep you

and I'll protect you

and I'll strengthen you

and I'll be like honey

to your soul.

But last, you see,

the manna wasn't just

pleasant to look at,

it wasn't just versatile,

it wasn't just sweet,

it was free.

It was free.

God gave it to His people

freely every evening

with a dew that fell

on the ground.

But if the manna came freely,

how much more

did Jesus Christ come to us

with all of His blessings

free of charge?

When our sins

and our complaining

had put us outside the camp,

when our rebellion

against God

deserved nothing

but God's burning wrath,

Jesus came down

from heaven freely

into the night

of our sin,

went outside the camp

and endured on the cross

the penalty

that our sins deserved

and rose on the third day

ensuring that our sins

would be washed away

and offering eternal life

to all who repent

of their sins

and believe in Him.

You see,

this bread of life

comes free of charge.

There's nothing you need

to do to earn it

or deserve it.

Jesus did all the work

so that you could enjoy

His beauty

and sufficiency

and sweetness

utterly without cost

and without payment.

He paid the cost

so you don't have to.

You just have to receive it

to take it in your mouth

and feel the sweetness

on your tongue.

So now you can be satisfied

in Him.

You see,

Jesus is the one

who is meant to satisfy

the cravings of our soul

and drive out our complaining.

You can be satisfied in Christ

and now your cravings

don't have to leave you

in the grave.

That's what

kebroth hatah avah means,

the graves of craving.

No, you see,

if you place your desire

upon Jesus Christ,

He will satisfy

and save you.

You see,

there's a food for us

in the wilderness,

brothers and sisters.

There's a food for us

in Christ

and it will turn

our complaints

into praise.

It will turn our grumblings

into rejoicings.

Jesus is the bread of heaven.

Let's feast on Him

and be satisfied.

Let's pray together.

Oh, Lord,

you came down

from heaven to earth

like the manna

so long ago,

Jesus,

to fill the deepest

longings of our heart,

to fulfill the longings

that we need

for forgiveness,

to fulfill the longings

that we need

for meaning

and significance

and satisfaction

for hope

and a future.

Lord,

it is all in you.

Help us by your Spirit

to truly enjoy you,

to not take you

for granted,

to embrace you,

to let your love

fill our hearts

that we might do

all things

in your service

without grumbling

or complaining

and shine like stars

in the midst

of our generation.

Amen.