Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church-Friedheim
Celebrating our 169th Year
Chartered February 25, 1838
A 21st Century Parish with a 1st Century Faith
Acts 2:42
Mid-Week Lenten 3
February 20, 2008
Exodus 17:1-17
Moses brings water out of a rock - God supplies our needs
The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?” But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” The LORD answered Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”
“Eternal Lord, Your kingdom has broken into our troubled world through the life, death, and resurrection of Your Son. Help us to hear Your word and obey it, so that we become instruments of Your redeeming love.”
Upon the Lord’s direction, Moses brings water out of a rock for the wilderness people. God’s people are in the wilderness and they are thirsty. This is one of a series of complaints of the Israelites during their forty-year stay in the wilderness. This episode follows the pattern of all the others. The people first complain to Moses, Moses takes the complaint to the Lord, and our heavenly Father graciously answers their need always according to His mist gracious will. In this case, Moses is directed to strike a rock, out of which comes water. The account points out the faithlessness of the people by threatening Moses and by putting God to the test. The obedience of Moses and the goodness of God are demonstrated in addressing and answering the need. In this instance, there was the sin of putting God to the test: they demand and answer. Is God with us or not?
Introduction: Are we a God-abandoned people? When needs are not met, when adversity strikes, when God is silent and apparently absent, we might question whether God is with us or not.
That was the question of the thirsty Israelites at Massah. They were desperate to know. Has the Lord left us?
Their lives depended on the answer. If God had indeed left them then why should they continue on their journey? Why not simply give up or at least return back to Egypt. If God was with them, then they would have to answer a deeper question - why is there no end of our suffering?
As long as we have tribulation, we will be asking this question. Why does God respond in this manner? There are right and wrong ways in finding the answer to this question, this question of suffering. As we continue with our theme throughout this year’s Lenten journey - of God’s dealings with His people - we discover this night that God supplies our needs for He is the source of our life even in the midst of pain and suffering.
Tonight we ponder: Is God with us or not?
I. There is the wrong way of testing God.
A. The children of Israel came to Moses with demands for proof of God’s presence. Surely there was no sin in needing or asking for water. Why should they die of thirst? The sin of the people was putting God to the test, of proving whether He was with them or not. They wanted concrete, physical proof in terms of water. In another wilderness, Jesus told Satan, “You shall not tempt (test) the Lord thy God.” To demand a sign or proof of God’s care discloses a lack of faith. Faith trusts in the Lord providence regardless of circumstance
B. The children of Israel came to Moses insisting that the Lord act on their request, give us water. On the surface this doesn’t appear to be alarming. After all we are to take our needs to the Lord. Israel fell into sin when the demanded that the Lord act at their beckoned call. We do not have the right to summon the Lord and demand that He do as we command. The children of Israel acted presumptuously. We dare not come to the Savior with on our own terms. We dare not come demanding for Him to act as we see fit. Our petitions must be presented with the qualifier “Thy will be done, Lord, Thy will be done.” Thus we hear in the book of Deuteronomy 4:2 what the Lord says, “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.” This moved Martin Luther to pray, Dear God, I am Your creature. You have sent me a cross and suffering and say to me: Suffer a little for My sake and I will reward you well. Dear God, because it is Your will I will gladly suffer. Amen.
Transition: We know that the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature oppose the good and gracious will of God. We look to Jesus who has clearly spoken, My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. (John 6:40)
II. The right way of trusting God; is in finding the God who is with us —
A. We find God clearly in His Word, whether it is proclaimed, taught, read, studied, or shared. We should therefore call upon Jesus’ name in every trouble, as we pray, praise, and give thanks. The Psalmist reminds us, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever.” (Psalm 118:1) and again, “Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name.” (Psalm 103:1) The Bible gives us countless examples, the ten lepers called upon Jesus in their trouble. (Luke 17:L11-13) The grateful stranger thanked Jesus and glorified God for his healing (Luke 17:15-16) Hannah petitioned and thanked God for the gift of a son (1 Samuel 1-2)
B. We find Christ clearly in the Sacraments. St. Paul would remind us, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?...If we have been united with Him in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.” (Romans 6:3,5) We are called to be living in our baptism, recalling that we truly are children of God because of the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. Thus you and I are called to pray, “O Lord, I am Your sin; You are my righteousness. Therefore I triumph and am secure; for my sin cannot overpower Your righteousness, not can Your righteousness let me be or remain a sinner! Blessed Lord God of mine, my Mercy and my Redeemer, in You only do I trust, never let me be ashamed! (M Luther 1483-1546)
You come on a regular basis to this altar to receive the gifts of God rejoicing in your inheritance which can not be taken from you. The writer to the Hebrews reminds us, “By one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy...where these [sins] have been forgiven, there is n longer any sacrifice for sin!” (Hebrews 10:14, 18) The body and blood of Christ in the Sacrament are the one perfect sacrifice offered to God once and for all on the cross and are now given to us in the Sacrament together with all the blessings and benefits which this sacrifice has won for us. We call it ‘the Sacrament of the Altar’ because an altar is a place of sacrifice. Jesus sacrificed His body and blood on the cross for the sins of the world once for all. In the Sacrament of the Altar, He distributes this same body and blood until the end of time.
C. According to the Father’s perfect will He answers our prayers. What a privilege it is to take our burdens, cares, joys and sorrows to the throne room of grace, bearing the burdens of our brothers and sisters in Christ. And then - being thankful as the Savior answers each petition according to His gracious will.
Conclusion: The right way of trusting God; is in finding the God who is with us — in His Word, in His blessed Sacraments, in prayer.
Lord Jesus, this I ask of Thee, Deny me not this favor; When Satan sorely troubles me, Then do not let me waver. Keep watch and ward, O gracious Lord, Fulfill Thy faithful saying: Who doth believe He shall receive An answer to His praying. [The Will of God Is Always Best - The Lutheran Hymnal © 1942 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis]
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