{"id":7940,"date":"2024-06-30T09:45:24","date_gmt":"2024-06-30T07:45:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sermons.seetal-chile.ch\/?post_type=wpfc_sermon&p=7940"},"modified":"2024-07-01T22:47:42","modified_gmt":"2024-07-01T20:47:42","slug":"der-top-mahlzeitendienst","status":"publish","type":"wpfc_sermon","link":"https:\/\/sermons.seetal-chile.ch\/en\/sermons\/der-top-mahlzeitendienst\/","title":{"rendered":"The TOP<\/span> meal service"},"content":{"rendered":"

After the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes com\u00adplai\u00adned to their lea\u00adder Moses about a lack of food, God set up the world\u2019s best and most relia\u00adble meal ser\u00advice with dai\u00adly deli\u00adveries. The only excep\u00adti\u00adon was the Sab\u00adbath. But as two por\u00adti\u00adons arri\u00adved the day befo\u00adre, this did not affect the sup\u00adp\u00adly. How can we expe\u00adri\u00adence God as our provider?<\/p>\n

Many men spent very arduous hours in mili\u00adta\u00adry ser\u00advice. Once I was\u00adn\u2019t shaved well enough when bivou\u00adack\u00ading. As a result, I was woken up one of the next nights and had to be per\u00adfect\u00adly shaven and in full com\u00adbat gear on the HV<\/span> squa\u00adre within 10 minu\u00adtes. The\u00adre were lots of point\u00adless exer\u00adci\u00ads\u00ades like that that brought the mood down to sub-zero. And yet, when men talk about the mili\u00adta\u00adry in retro\u00ads\u00adpect, ever\u00ady\u00adthing seems for\u00adgot\u00adten and com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly roman\u00adti\u00adcis\u00aded. Our memo\u00adry has the abili\u00adty to com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly block out dif\u00adfi\u00adcult expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces from the past. This effect also affec\u00adted the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes. Their joy at their free\u00addom soon tur\u00adned into worry and lamen\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon, as they did not know how they would sur\u00advi\u00adve in this inhos\u00adpi\u00adta\u00adble envi\u00adron\u00adment. Plagued by hun\u00adger, they grum\u00adbled against Moses and Aaron.
\nTrust in God\u2019s provision
\n\u00abHere, too, the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes sever\u00adely reproa\u00adched Moses and Aaron. \u00abIf only the LORD<\/span> had kil\u00adled us in Egypt,\u00bb they com\u00adplai\u00adned, \u00abat least the\u00adre we had meat and enough bread to eat. Ins\u00adtead, you led us into this desert so that we would all star\u00adve to death here\u00bb \u00bb (Exodus 16:2\u20133 NLB<\/span>). The cap\u00adti\u00advi\u00adty in Egypt was lite\u00adral\u00adly hell for the peo\u00adp\u00adle of Isra\u00adel, but their limi\u00adt\u00aded memo\u00adry only included the pots of meat and the abun\u00addance they had the\u00adre. It must have been a gre\u00adat frus\u00adtra\u00adti\u00adon for Moses and Aaron. They did not impo\u00adse them\u00adsel\u00adves on the task of lea\u00adder\u00adship, but were com\u00admis\u00adsio\u00adned by God. Pro\u00adcu\u00adring food was defi\u00adni\u00adte\u00adly not one of their tasks and was also not in their power. In any case, the much-quo\u00adted sen\u00adtence is true: \u00abIt took one night to bring Isra\u00adel out of Egypt. But it took 40 years to bring Egypt out of Israel.\u00bb
\nOnce again, the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes are con\u00adfron\u00adted with their depen\u00addence on God. They do not have their own gar\u00adden to grow vege\u00adta\u00adbles and pota\u00adtoes, but must learn to trust in God\u2019s care.
\nOne of God\u2019s names is Yah\u00adweh Jireh, which trans\u00adla\u00adtes as \u00abLORD<\/span> my Pro\u00advi\u00adder\u00bb. This name is God\u2019s pro\u00adgram\u00adme. That is why the final state\u00adment reads: \u00abFor 40 years I have led you through the desert wit\u00adhout your clo\u00adthes and shoes being worn out\u00bb (Deu\u00adte\u00adro\u00adno\u00admy 29:4 NLB<\/span>). Even today, God is still the pro\u00advi\u00adder. No, it\u2019s not our employ\u00aders or the AHV<\/span>. They are mere\u00adly chan\u00adnels of divi\u00adne pro\u00advi\u00adsi\u00adon. The exam\u00adp\u00adle of the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes shows how dif\u00adfi\u00adcult it can be for us humans to trust in God\u2019s pro\u00advi\u00adsi\u00adon, espe\u00adci\u00adal\u00adly in times of need and uncertainty.
\nGod does not respond to the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes\u00bb com\u00adplaints with anger or punish\u00adment, but with a mira\u00adcle of pro\u00advi\u00adsi\u00adon. \u00abAnd the LORD<\/span> said to Moses, \u00abI have heard the com\u00adplaints of the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes. Tell them this: Towards evening you will be given meat to eat; in the mor\u00adning you will be given bread and be fil\u00adled with it. Then you will know that I am the LORD<\/span> your God\u00bb \u00bb (Exodus 16:11\u201312 NLB<\/span>). Every evening a flock of quails flew into the camp and in the mor\u00adning, after the dew had dis\u00adap\u00adpeared, fine grains lay on the ground like frost. \u00abThe Israe\u00adli\u00adtes cal\u00adled the grains man\u00adna (= what is it?). They were light in colour like cori\u00adan\u00adder seed and tas\u00adted like honey cake\u00bb (Exodus 16:31 NLB<\/span>). This is the best and most relia\u00adble meal ser\u00advice the world has ever seen.
\nThe chall\u00adenge was to coll\u00adect only as much food as they nee\u00added for one day. No one was allo\u00adwed to keep any of it over\u00adnight (Exodus 16:19). The peti\u00adti\u00adon in the Lord\u2019s Pray\u00ader \u00abGive us this day our dai\u00adly bread\u00bb is based on the same idea. No one should pro\u00advi\u00adde for the next day. Some wan\u00adted to stock up any\u00adway, \u00ab[\u2026] but the next mor\u00adning it was full of mag\u00adgots and stank [\u2026]\u00bb (Exodus 16:20 NLB<\/span>). This dai\u00adly depen\u00addence on God con\u00adtra\u00addicts our human need for con\u00adtrol and secu\u00adri\u00adty. We tend to make pro\u00advi\u00adsi\u00adons for the future, build up reser\u00adves and hedge against uncer\u00adtain\u00adties. Here God reminds us that all secu\u00adri\u00adty is groun\u00added in Him and that we are cal\u00adled to live in trust.
\nThe one-day care\u00adfree prin\u00adci\u00adple is deep\u00adly bibli\u00adcal. Jesus: \u00abThe\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre do not worry about tomor\u00adrow, for each day brings its own bur\u00addens. Today\u2019s worries are enough for today\u00bb (Matthew 6:34 NLB<\/span>).
\nIn psy\u00adcho\u00adlo\u00adgy, the\u00adre is the tech\u00adni\u00adcal term future trip\u00adping, which descri\u00adbes a fear of the future that can cau\u00adse anxie\u00adty or stress. Future trip\u00adping is often based on the desi\u00adre and the often uncon\u00adscious wish that we can con\u00adtrol a situa\u00adti\u00adon or an out\u00adco\u00adme, alt\u00adhough in rea\u00adli\u00adty we can\u00adnot. Future trip\u00adping makes today stin\u00adky and mise\u00adra\u00adble. Cor\u00adrie ten Boom also says: \u00abWorry\u00ading does\u00adn\u2019t take away the suf\u00adfe\u00adring of tomor\u00adrow, but it robs today of its strength.\u00bb We worry about 1000 things, 999 of which will never materialise.
\nPer\u00adhaps we are expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adcing times of scar\u00adci\u00adty or uncer\u00adtain\u00adty in our health, our work or our rela\u00adti\u00adonships. In such moments, we can be inspi\u00adred by the sto\u00adry of the man\u00adna. It tea\u00adches us to trust in God\u2019s dai\u00adly care and not to allow our\u00adsel\u00adves to be para\u00adly\u00adsed by fear and worry.
\nThe importance of the Sabbath
\n\u00abGather the grain for six days. But the seventh day is a day of rest, when the\u00adre will be no man\u00adna on the ground for you. On the seventh day, some Israe\u00adli\u00adtes still went out\u00adside the camp to gather grain. But they found not\u00adhing\u00bb (Exodus 16:26, 27 NLB<\/span>).
\nAno\u00adther important aspect of this sto\u00adry is the intro\u00adduc\u00adtion of the Sab\u00adbath as a holy day of rest and reflec\u00adtion. God gives the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes clear ins\u00adtruc\u00adtions that they are to gather man\u00adna on six days, but not on the seventh day, the Sab\u00adbath. On the sixth day, they were to gather twice as much to honour the Sab\u00adbath. This shows how important rest and trust in God\u2019s care are. The Sab\u00adbath is a gift from God, a day of rest to remind us that our lives and our pro\u00advi\u00adsi\u00adon ulti\u00adm\u00adate\u00adly depend on God.
\nAt the last dele\u00adga\u00adtes\u00bb mee\u00adting of Viva Church Switz\u00ader\u00adland, a brain coach gave a key\u00adnote speech. The woman empha\u00adsis\u00aded that many neu\u00adro\u00adlo\u00adgi\u00adcal stu\u00addies have shown that inter\u00adrup\u00adti\u00adons \u2013 such as the Sab\u00adbath \u2013 are extre\u00adme\u00adly important for the brain. The Hebrew word Sab\u00adbath means to stop, to inter\u00adrupt. The Israe\u00adli\u00adtes did not have to think about coll\u00adec\u00adting food for a who\u00adle day.
\nThe Sab\u00adbath is the test of trust in God. In my fami\u00adly of ori\u00adgin, this day was strict\u00adly obser\u00adved. My father refrai\u00adned from hay\u00admaking on this day, even though the grass had to be dried very well back then. Trus\u00adting in God, he left the machi\u00adnes in the shed. That left its mark on me. For exam\u00adp\u00adle, I never stu\u00addi\u00aded on a Sun\u00adday, even during inten\u00adsi\u00adve peri\u00adods at the tech\u00adni\u00adcal cent\u00adre. It may be that I was bea\u00adten on the odd Mon\u00adday test. But I am con\u00advin\u00adced that my long-term memo\u00adry and per\u00adfor\u00admance was bet\u00adter as a result. The Sab\u00adbath does\u00adn\u2019t make you bet\u00adter, it makes you lon\u00adger. Is it pos\u00adsi\u00adble to trust in God in such a way that we can real\u00adly live in today wit\u00adhout worry\u00ading about tomor\u00adrow? Yes, it is \u2013 but only if we get to know God like Moses and Aaron did. We don\u2019t need to know what the future holds for us, but we need to know WHO<\/span> holds it for us.
\nThe Sab\u00adbath is the test of faith and the one of the Ten Words that is repea\u00adted the most times in the Bible. It is part of the matu\u00adring pro\u00adcess of a fol\u00adlower of Jesus that he lear\u00adns to orga\u00adni\u00adse the Sab\u00adbath as an inter\u00adrup\u00adti\u00adon to his ever\u00ady\u00adday life. This is a major task that does not sim\u00adply fall into our laps.
\nGra\u00adti\u00adtu\u00adde and satisfaction
\nCom\u00adpa\u00adring is typi\u00adcal\u00adly human. We usual\u00adly compa\u00adre our\u00adsel\u00adves with peo\u00adp\u00adle who have more, look bet\u00adter and are more talen\u00adted than us. We deli\u00adbera\u00adte\u00adly over\u00adlook the fact that the\u00adse peo\u00adp\u00adle also have dif\u00adfi\u00adcult sides or life cir\u00adcum\u00ads\u00adtances. This is a typi\u00adcal dis\u00adtor\u00adti\u00adon of rea\u00adli\u00adty that results in dis\u00adsa\u00adtis\u00adfac\u00adtion and ungratefulness.
\nThe Israe\u00adli\u00adtes also expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced such a dis\u00adtor\u00adti\u00adon of rea\u00adli\u00adty: they com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly igno\u00adred the fact that they were lite\u00adral\u00adly \u00abdrag\u00adged through the mud\u00bb in Egypt and only saw the fle\u00adsh pots. Slavery was per\u00adhaps 99% cruel and 1% plea\u00adsant. They never had to worry about meat and bread. The Israe\u00adli\u00adtes grum\u00adbled becau\u00adse they did not have what they wan\u00adted, even though God mira\u00adcu\u00adlous\u00adly pro\u00advi\u00added for them.
\nThis Egypt phe\u00adno\u00adme\u00adnon tea\u00adches us to be gra\u00adteful and con\u00adtent with what God gives us. We should not focus on what we don\u2019t have, but be thank\u00adful for what we have been given. I heard about a per\u00adson who sleeps on the hard flo\u00ador once a week. This action should help us to be gra\u00adteful for the many good things in life.
\nSt Paul wri\u00adtes: \u00abTrue faith and the abili\u00adty to be con\u00adtent with litt\u00adle are inde\u00aded gre\u00adat riches. After all, we brought not\u00adhing into the world with us when we were born and we can take not\u00adhing with us when we die. The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre we want to be con\u00adtent as long as we have enough food and clot\u00adhing\u00bb (1 Timo\u00adthy 6:6\u20138 NLB<\/span>).
\nWith such mode\u00ads\u00adty and fru\u00adga\u00adli\u00adty, we would not be hea\u00adding for an eco\u00adlo\u00adgi\u00adcal cata\u00adstro\u00adphe. Unfort\u00adu\u00adna\u00adte\u00adly, humans func\u00adtion accor\u00adding to the prin\u00adci\u00adple of greed. Like the far\u00admer who, after an excel\u00adlent har\u00adve\u00adst, repla\u00adced his old barn with an even big\u00adger one. He \u00abtigh\u00adten\u00aded his belt a litt\u00adle more\u00bb and belie\u00adved that this meant he could look for\u00adward to a care\u00adfree future. God\u2019s view of this beha\u00adviour is snub\u00adbing: \u00abBut God said to him: \u00abHow foo\u00adlish of you! You\u2019\u00adre going to die tonight. And then who will get all this? You see how foo\u00adlish it is to amass riches on earth and not ask for wealth from God\u00bb (Luke 12:20\u201321 NLB<\/span>). Humi\u00adli\u00adty and con\u00adtent\u00adment are important cha\u00adrac\u00adte\u00adristics of a fol\u00adlower of Jesus.
\nThe man\u00adna con\u00adtai\u00adned all the sub\u00ads\u00adtances that the desert tra\u00advel\u00adlers nee\u00added for life. In the New Tes\u00adta\u00adment, Jesus pres\u00adents hims\u00adelf as the bread of life with refe\u00adrence to the man\u00adna in the desert. Here too, Jesus is ever\u00ady\u00adthing a per\u00adson needs. Peter reco\u00adg\u00adnis\u00aded this when he said: \u00abLord, to whom should we go? Only you have words that give eter\u00adnal life\u00bb (John 6:68 NLB<\/span>). We want to get to the bot\u00adtom of this mys\u00adtery in the com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adon meal that follows.
\n 
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small group
\nRead Bible text: Exodus 16<\/p>\n

\tIn the Bible, God pres\u00adents hims\u00adelf as the LORD<\/span> of pro\u00advi\u00adders Do you real\u00adly belie\u00adve that? How does this chan\u00adge the way we deal with our need for con\u00adtrol and security?
\n\tHow do you orga\u00adni\u00adse your Sab\u00adbath? Is it a day of inter\u00adrup\u00adti\u00adon? How do you want to take God\u2019s urgen\u00adcy on this topic more seriously?
\n\tWhe\u00adre does the human reflex to \u00abtigh\u00adten your belt\u00bb mani\u00adfest its\u00adelf in your life? How can you coun\u00adter\u00adact this reflex?
\n\tGod likes to pro\u00advi\u00adde dai\u00adly with the neces\u00adsa\u00adry needs in all are\u00adas of life, such as liveli\u00adhood, health, work, etc. Whe\u00adre do you still find yours\u00adelf future tripping?
\n\tWhe\u00adre are you chal\u00adlen\u00adged to trust God, even if the future is uncertain?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After the Israe\u00adli\u00adtes com\u00adplai\u00adned to their lea\u00adder Moses about a lack of food, God set up the world\u2019s best and most relia\u00adble meal ser\u00advice with dai\u00adly deli\u00adveries. The only excep\u00adti\u00adon was the Sab\u00adbath. But as two por\u00adti\u00adons arri\u00adved the day befo\u00adre, this did not affect the sup\u00adp\u00adly. How can we expe\u00adri\u00adence God as our pro\u00advi\u00adder? Many men have\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":7947,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[23],"wpfc_sermon_series":[98],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-matthias-altwegg","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-folge-du-mir-nach","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-7940","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"has-post-thumbnail","8":"hentry","11":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t

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