The Ministry of Manna: Wandering in the Wilderness | Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley | April 19, 2020

[Music] what you bow in prayer with me is we get ready to hear a word from the Lord that word Oh Lord is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto our path I prayed today O God that your word will bring light guidance and direction in the midst of darkness in Jesus name we do pray amen like many of you I wake up every morning and I'm learning to accept the new reality of the world we live in and adjust and adapt to some new protocols and procedures of how we live our lives it's an adjustment making certain that every time I leave the house I have some Clorox wipes and some Lysol and hand sanitizer it's an adjustment to make certain that I'm always wearing my mask no matter where I go it's an adjustment going to the grocery store and following new protocol about which way you can go up and down which aisle of walking through the aisles and seeing empty shelves of making certain that you stay six feet apart from anyone close to you the other day I inadvertently violated that six foot rule at the grocery store and a sister turned around and said to me is only a sister could I'm gonna need you to back up you may have that Rona it's been an adjustment it's an adjustment bringing groceries home and having to spend 30 to 40 minutes wiping them down and sanitizing them before I placed them in the refrigerator it's been an adjustment keeping the kids in their house while the sun is shining and the warmth of spring dawns upon us it's been difficult adjusting to the fact that one day looks like just any other day I woke up the other day and laid in bed and it took me about three minutes to try to remember what day of the week it was and in the midst of my struggle I just gave up cuz you know what it didn't matter it was Tuesday Thursday Saturday they all looked the same Easter was difficult being at home on that holy day for 47 years of my life there's never been an Easter Sunday where I in church and to be at home this past weekend just felt strange and if I can be honest and someone's gonna say an amen I am zoomed out if I have to get on one more zoom call I'm gonna lose my mind this has been an adjustment but not just physically but even more so mentally and emotionally the mental and emotional toll to me has been much more severe than the physical as a matter of fact the greatest struggle for me in the midst of this is the uncertainty in which we live my brother and my sister one thing this pandemic has taught us is that we live in the midst of abject and absolute uncertainty uncertainty is all around us in the season I am reminded of the words of one of my favorite poets TS Eliot and in his four poems called the quartets listen to what TS Eliot says in order to arrive at what you are not you must go through the way in which you are not and what you do not know is the only thing you know what you do not know is the only thing you know my brothers and my sisters I come by declare to you that we live in a season where the only thing we know is what we don't know every day the information about this virus changes every day the data gets worse every day the time line moves media gives various reporting's the president lies tries to find anyone and everyone to blame this on and all the while people are dying and there are more questions than there are answers we don't know when and if there'll be a vaccine we don't know how long the virus lives on certain surfaces we don't know how you really contract the virus we know all the symptoms of the virus we don't know when the shelter at home ban will be lifted we don't know when businesses will open again we don't know when we'll travel again we don't know when we'll be back in church we don't know God when these kids are going back to school we don't know when life will resume to normal if there ever will be and normal again we just don't know and uncertainty is unsettling uncertainty is unsettling because it reminds us that we really are not in control of our own lives science can't solve every problem bank accounts can't protect you from this virus human authority can't navigate us through this this uncertainty has been a humbling experience to remind us that we are not in control and that's unsettling to us because we believe that we can use our resources to make certain that life follows the path we've planned that with the right degree and the right connections and the right money then life will play out the way we want it to and this has taught us that we are not in control and uncertainty is fertile ground for doubt despair depression worry fear anxiety all of which surrounds us in the midst of the uncertain days and times in which we live but I come by I tell you that's not just a result of Cova at 19 and that pandemic that's a result of life life has a way of delivering you into seasons where there are more questions than there are answers life has a way of putting you in a place where no matter how many degrees you have you don't know what the is going on all around you life has a way of putting you in places where you don't know if it's going to get any better when you're in something and you have no idea when it's going to end when you're walking through something and you can't navigate your way through it life has a way of putting you in seasons and places and situations and circumstances when all you know is what you don't know you know what that's where the people of God are for the majority of their journey with God in the first five books of our Bible they are wandering in the wilderness for forty years if you read your Bible you'll see that from the middle of Exodus all the way through Deuteronomy we are introduced to a people who are wandering in the midst of uncertainty come on back in let me tell you the story God delivers the children of Israel out of Egyptian slavery and as soon as they crossed the Red Sea mark there's nothing but a party that goes down they're singing they're praising they're glorifying God they're dancing and they're celebrating not simply because the Lord has brought them out but they're celebrating watch this because they had no clue what was about to come their way they had no idea that forty years in the wilderness was the next stop on their journey as a matter of fact they continued to complain to Moses in that wilderness and that's what they say mo if we had known that this was going to be our journey we would have rather stayed in Egypt than to wander in the wilderness the wilderness took them through seasons where resources were scarce food wasn't plentiful water was nowhere to be found the wilderness took them to a season where they watched loved ones die and they couldn't have proper burials the wilderness is a place where they walked in places they had never walked before experience things they had never experienced before had to endure things they had never endured before in the wilderness Moses approval rating dropped down through the floor they complain they rebelled because there were times even Moses did not know where they were going in the wilderness they had to trust God like they never trusted God before they had to trust God when they had no clue where they were going when they would get there when the wilderness would be over how many people would die how scarce the resources would be how long the journey would be they wandered in the wilderness you know what wilderness is wilderness is when you find yourself in the midst of something you didn't see coming wilderness is when you didn't prepare for it and you can't protect yourself from it wilderness is when you have no clue when it'll be over wilderness is when you feel like he goes from worse to worse wilderness when you have no answers and no assurance wilderness when you have no sources you can trust on wilderness is when you have no hope that tomorrow would be better than today wilderness is when your fate lies and you really don't know who you can trust and believe in wilderness is when you have more questions than you have answers and that's where the children of God are in their 40 year journey from the Red Sea to the promised land they are wandering in the wilderness but in the midst of that wilderness here's the shout let me tell you what they found out they found out that when we're in the wilderness and when we're uncertain about when something will end and when we have no clue of where we're going and when it seems like resources are nowhere to be found here's what they found out God is with us and God will guide us that we serve a God who guides us through the wilderness one of my favorite verses in the Bible is Jeremiah chapter 2 verse 6 reading when you get a chance in Jeremiah 2 verse 6 this were the people of God say God led us through the wilderness he led us in unprecedented places he kept us in the midst of uncertainty we serve a God who guides us in the wilderness as a matter of fact when you go home and read Bible will you're at home might as well read Bible in numbers chapter 14 when the children of Israel get to the promised land and they're too scared to go in listen it what God says to them listen to the indictment in numbers 14 God says how can you be afraid with all the signs I've given you that I'm with you God reminds the children of Israel that I've given you signs that I am with you and I'm guiding you and I'm leading you that in the wilderness God provides signs to lead us and for the next few weeks next month the next season as we wander through the wilderness of covent 19 I want to spend a few weeks sharing with you some of the signs of God's presence and how God is guiding us even in the midst of these uncertain days in which we live we're going to examine some of those signs we're going to spend time looking at the pillar of cloud and fire and the cloud of the glory of God the descends we're going to take time to look at the tabernacle and the tent of meaning we're going to take time to look at some of the obstacles that the children of Israel face and fail to realize that sometimes the obstacle was God pointing them in the right direction or take some time to look at the laws and the promises God gave in the midst of wilderness we're going to journey out of the wilderness and in a few weekends from now we're going to make our way to the Babylonian exile and look at what God says to the children of Israel in the meantime we're going to conclude the series by looking at Noah who's been sheltered for such a long period and when he comes off of the ark the world is not the same world that he left what do you do when you realize it's a different world because our world will never go back to the way it was but today as we get into part one I want you to hear the reading of the word of God from the book of Deuteronomy chapter 8 as we get into the first sign of God's presence and God's guidance in the wilderness if you got your Bible Deuteronomy chapter 8 beginning in verse number one and I'm reading out the New International Version of God's Word my Bible says as Moses speaks to the children of Israel be careful to follow every command I'm giving you today so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years to Humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart whether or not you would keep his Commandments he humbled you causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna let the church say manna which neither your ancestors had known to teach you that men and women do not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord your clothes did not wear out your feet did not swell during these 40 years know that in your heart that as a father disciplines his son so the Lord your God disciplines you as we get into the first part of this wandering in the wilderness series I want to teach this morning about the ministry of mana the ministry of mana we read about manna more fully in Exodus chapter 16 I'm gonna encourage you to read that as a part of your devotional and Bible study time and in Exodus chapter 16 that's when the children of Israel are first exposed to manna and as you remember from your Sunday School class in second grade with sister Johnson and Deacon Phillips that manna was really bread that descended from heaven like Dew and in the morning the truth of Israel will gather it up and God fed them with manna in the wilderness for forty years manna manna was bread but be interested to know that the word manna does not mean bread manna is a Hebrew word it does not mean bread it does not mean food as a matter of fact watch this and to blow your mind the word manna literally is not even a noun manna is a question when you translate manna literally manna translates as what is it manna is the question what is it and when the children of Israel saw the manna the bread on the ground they asked what is it they had never seen it they had never tasted it they didn't know if they would like it they didn't know if it would sustain them they simply called it manna because they didn't know how it got there they didn't know where it came from they knew nothing about it so when they looked at the provision all they said is what is it now you gotta remember these are former slaves and as slaves they worked the fields of Egypt so they understood planting they understood fertilizing they understood harvest they understood reaping the fruit of their own labor but they had never been in a place where all of a sudden something just showed up and they had nothing to do with it manna is that moment when it comes in and you can't give yourself credit for it being there manna now now here's the blows my mind they knew it was bread but they never called it bread dough dough missus they knew it was food but they never called it food they always called it manna they always raised the question for 40 years every morning they would wake up and rather than saying food they would wake up and say question what is it they questioned every day in the wilderness and I'll suggest you that one of the reasons manna has never renamed bread or food is because in the wilderness sometimes you've got to learn to live with questions in the wilderness you've got to learn to live in seasons where your questions have no answers and I'll come back to tell you for every child of God there's gonna be a moment in your life where you are in that wilderness and all you know are questions why God why'd you let that happen how is this what is happening in my life why didn't you keep that from happening why did you let mama die why did you let Daddy God how is it that I got laid off how are they blessed and Lord I'm struggling have you ever been in a season where all you had were questions every day of their journey in the wilderness a question was raised and we live in a time where every morning we're filled and bombarded with questions not what you see what happens when you read Exodus 16 they asked the question man up what is it and Moses the man of God responds but would you see that Moses response to the question is not an answer it's a declaration who were just about to give gooder they asked the question manna what is it and Moses the man of God the only answer he can give is not an answer it's a declaration read your Bible they asked the question what is it and Moses response to the question is the declaration God provides I may not be able to answer your question but God provides I don't know why you go through what you go through but God provides I don't understand why God allowed your mother or your father to die but this much I do know God provides you know who I came by to encourage today and I came by to play a little Moses in your life and let you know God provides don't know when this will be over but God provides don't know why it's happening but God provides don't know how long you'll struggle who is what you're struggling with but I want you to hear the words of Moses God provides as a matter of fact I want you to think for a moment overall the man of moments you've already experienced in your life we that moment when God blessed you in a way you never saw coming manna when God opened the door that you knew you were not qualified to walk through manna when God sent the right person at the right time to do the right thing in the right season of your life manna when God calls somebody to speak your name and gave you an opportunity you didn't even know you could walk into manna when God blew your mind manna when you predicted the worst and God brought the best mana when God did something that you never saw coming manna is there anybody watching this sermon today that knows God has given you some manner of moments when God did something you never thought God was going to do manna manna now when you read X to the 16 you're gonna find out that there are some very specific instructions on how the children of Israel were to handle manna can I teach Bible yes let me teach a little Bible but there are some restrictions and laws and Commandments about manna that you need to understand number one when God sent manna God commanded the children of Israel I want you to gather it first thing in the morning as soon as you wake up I want you to go outside and I want you to gather the manor don't miss this the first thing I want you to do when you wake up is to go outside and see that I've provided the very first thing I want you to do in a season of uncertainty is make certain you identify and name and lay your hands on what you know the Lord has provided in your life wake up and go find your manner because here's what happened if they waited too long to collect the manna in the morning the manor disappeared this is good the Lord says if you don't get manna in the morning you won't have it in the afternoon here's the point in the wilderness how you start your morning will determine how the rest of your day goes what you do first thing in the morning will determine how the rest of your day plays out and in this wilderness of pandemic and covet 19 I want to challenge you to start your morning's differently before you grab your phone and see what texts you missed before you get on social media and see who followed you last night before you even turn on CNN to see the data of the last virus outbreak go find your manner cNN has a slogan on their morning show says start your day with us no not in this pandemic you know stock chordae with CNN you start your day by waking up in the morning and go find in your manner when you wake up and you feel that heat blowing in your apartment manna when you roll over and see the spouse God has allowed you to be connected with manna go to your children in their bedroom and you know it's gonna be a long day of online homeschooling when Carmen Core math mana open up your refrigerator mana go look at your car in the garage mana put the water on and feel the heat of a warm shower mana move your arms mana and identify how good god has been and how the Lord has blessed you in spite of this wilderness mana beloved I want to suggest to you that the wilderness is a season of renewed appreciation and Thanksgiving that in the wilderness you are taught to appreciate mana you're forced to be grateful for what the Lord has provided in your life come on come on back they look at what's on the ground and they say mana and part of the reason they say man or watch this it's because they're wondering will we like it how's it gonna taste remember these are slaves they're used to slave food onions garlic and the leeks of Egypt and if I know human nature like I know human nature I'm willing to bet even the Bible and say it I'm gonna bet that there was somebody in that crowd who saw the manna saw the bread on the ground and that's what they said I ain't eatin that I'm not messing with that I'll eat manna I'm not eatin no food off the ground they failed to appreciate what the Lord had provided so watch what happens for 40 years they have nothing other than manna because God wants them to learn to appreciate what he alone can provide I'm gonna shut the schools down shut the club down shut the gym down and I want to know can you identify and appreciate how good god has been when God removes all these other things you're used to having in your daily diet can you appreciate your manna gave it to him for 40 years this one gets me tell you for 40 years all they had was manna the dough missus for 40 years all they had was manna now listen you all know I love to cook it's one of my favorite hobbies but I'm telling this even when I've done the best I can do in the kitchen no matter how good a meal was I can only eat off of it for two maybe three days before I'm sick of it I got three leftovers and then I'm done with it because I can't eat the same thing every day 40 years of the same thing and maybe what the Lord is saying in the wilderness is I need to ask you a question are you sick of it or are you grateful for it when I provided for you are you sick of it are you grateful for it are you sick of being in the house or are you grateful that you have a house to be in are you sick of having the kids at home or are you grateful for having time with your family are you sick of having to turn the TV off and get outside to walk a little bit are you grateful that you can well the question in the wilderness is are you sick of what God has provided are you grateful that you have it I want to challenge you today to be grateful for what the Lord has provided somebody say man up now watch this not only is man no question and not only did they have to collect it early in the morning ooh but you're gonna like this there were some restrictions on how much they could have it's about to get quiet in your house ain't gonna be no shout right here the Lord tells them in Exodus 16 when the manna comes everyone can go collect but you can only collect as much as you need now you know human nature you and you've got to read acts 2 the 16 you know what happens some people went out and they collected more than needed and as a result of people collecting more than they needed out of their greed there were some people who couldn't collect enough don't know missus some people I'd agreed collected more than they needed and as a result there were those who didn't have enough to meet their needs and when the Lord saw the greed above the need watch what the Lord does read Exodus 16 the Lord engages in some divine socialism the Lord goes to those who were greedy and took the excess that they had and gave it to those who are in need because the Lord declares it is a shame for some of you to live in greed with excess while you're sitting right next to someone who's a need and can be blessed by the extra that you have in the wilderness God is forcing us to examine our greed and our need how much do you really need how much is enough how many bedrooms can you sleep in how many cars can you drive how many pairs of shoes can you wear at once how many suits do you need to have in your closet and the indictment against the people of God is it too often we've collected more than we needed and it refused to live up to our obligation to sew into the lives of those who are in need God says you can't live in greed learn to be content with enough and I want you in the season of wilderness to identify what is enough I've going a little long and I apologize but but I want to share with you that man has a question or two see that man I had to be collected early in the morning I want you to see that man I had to be distributed among all the people but here's the last thing about mana they found out they could only collect enough for one day at a time except on the Sabbath when the day before they could collect double but they can only get enough mana to last for 24 hours because in the wilderness the Lord is teaching us to live one day at a time the Lord is teaching us to appreciate what today is without being worried about what tomorrow will or will not bring one day at a time now that's not to say that we shouldn't have no dreams of our future that doesn't mean that we shouldn't create vision boards going into the new year that doesn't mean that you shouldn't engage in some strategic planning but what the Lord was trying to teach Israel that the Lord is pressing upon us right now is that you can miss the joy of today because you're worried and imagining about what tomorrow will it will not be don't miss this you can miss the joy of today because you're worried about it tomorrow that hasn't even come yet God has always desired us to learn to appreciate the day that we live in when we lift up that Lord's Prayer and we get to that point where we say give us this day our daily bread it is a prayer Lord teach me to appreciate today that's what Jesus was pressing on his disciples in his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 6 he addressed the crowd he said listen don't be anxious about tomorrow don't worry about next week don't lose your mind about next year why because it's gonna come with its own problems but here's what Jesus taught the crowd but the Lord will provide for you the same way God takes care of birds the same way God takes care of the field the same way God raises up the lilies and the flowers God will take care of God's people so here's the message don't worry about tomorrow enjoy the manner of today you know what today God's been good to you you know what today the Lord has made a way you know what today the Lord is blessing you you know what today God's been good to you manna forces you to live one day at a time don't miss Thanksgiving of today because you're worried about problems of tomorrow the Lord will provide so here's what God tells Israel and it's my final word to you you don't live by bread alone but you live by every word that proceeds out the mouth of God not traditionally people have read that verse and saying that that's God's we're saying how dependent we are on the Bible and his word that's one way but if you look at the original Hebrew what it really says this you don't live by bread alone you live by everything God provides it's not your job it's not your money it's not your degree it's not your connections and sustain you it's the Lord that sustains you therefore be more diligent about trusting in God than you are about trusting in anything else in your life that in the wilderness when you're questioning God God is questioning you and God's question to you in the wilderness as this do you trust me you trust that I know what you need do you trust I know what you're going through do you trust me to make ways for you do you trust God the old Saint saying of him is that be not dismayed whatever betide God will take care of you and the Ministry of manna is that God provides won't you pray with or we thank you for mana we thank you that even in the midst of questions and uncertainty you've proven yourself to the provisions and the blessings that you give in teaching our God how to be appreciative of that which too often I've taken for granted I'm not sick of it God I'm thankful for it teach me God how to take my excess and use it in a way that blesses others thank you for our church which is gathering excess and using it now to bless those in need may Oh God I learned to live one day at a time to thank you for the blessings of today and allow you to handle what tomorrow will and will not be God provides in Jesus name we pray amen I want to thank you for taking these moments to share a Word of God with me on next weekend we're gonna come back for part two of wandering in the wilderness we're making our way through this wilderness believing that we have a God who guides and a God who loves pastor Wesley love you with the love of Jesus Christ and I'll catch you next weekend it's my prayer that the worship we experience together and the word you just received has once again encouraged and created a faith in you that is greater than any fear as a matter of fact if you're watching this broadcast and you are moved to walk in faith and to surrender your life to the lordship of Jesus Christ for the very first time or maybe reconnect yourself in your walk with the Lord do me a favor send us an email to Deacons at Alfred Street org and one of our deacons and one of our ministers will reach back out to you and joyfully share with you God's perfect plan of salvation for your life if you're moved to be part of something bigger than yourself during this time of isolation I pray that you realize how important community is and if you desire to be part of the Alfred Street Baptist Church community on our website you'll find the registration and the information you need to contact us and for us to contact you and to build relationship that we count you as one of our own if you are a member of alpha treat and you are in need of anything at all especially resources or prayer once again reach out to your deacon during this time of isolation we want every member to know that we are deeply intimately and prayerfully concerned about you and your family reach out to us that we might continue to reach out to you as you get ready to say goodbye today I'm gonna actually do me a favor if you are blessed by the Word of God do me a favor sign on and subscribe to our youtube channel that you may keep informed of all our worship all our announcements all our activities if you've been blessed remember that we are still seeking to be a blessing we are still ministering to our community we're still caring for our youth and our seniors and I'm asking you to be faithful in the gifts of God at Alfred Street we don't believe in begging for anything we believe that if you would pray and ask God what you should do financially if you obey what God places on your heart the church can't help but be blessed hey it's pastor Wesley looking forward to being in worship with you again on next weekend log in anytime you can Saturday 6:00 p.m. Sunday 8:00 a.m. Sunday 10:00 a.m. that's gather we might continue our worship of a God who is worthy and now to the all-mighty the all-wise the sovereign the omnipotent God who alone is creator of heaven and earth to the God who has made himself perfectly known to us in Jesus who alone is our Christ our loving Lord our sacrificial Savior our resurrected risen reigning returning Redeemer to the God who chooses to dwell in these earthen vessels of claim through the sustaining power promised presence purpose and person of the Holy Spirit to that all wise God be glory and Majesty Dominion and power from now until eternity and all those who love the Lord and awaited his return said amen you [Music]

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Length: 39min 42sec (2382 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 20 2020