National Treasure 1, The Provistion of God

Christ Church of Ballenger Creek

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National Treasure, part 1

The Provision of God

Hebrews 9:1-4 and Exodus 16

I. Last summer, National Treasure made a pile of money. It’s a movie about the search for a long lost treasure hidden by the founding fathers during the early days of our country.

A. It told the story of three adventurers trying to find the treasure before the bad guys do.

B. The treasure in the movie is fictional.

1) But it makes you wonder if there is a national treasure out there waiting to be found.

2) Could there be something amazing out there waiting for us to discover it?

II. I want to start a short series of three sermons today that will take us through the middle part of July.

A. It’s a series that, appropriately enough, focuses us on a national treasure.

1) Not a treasure like in the movie that is comprised of gold, artifacts and ancient writings.

2) But a treasure of a different kind; one more valuable, one more lasting and far more tragic if lost.

B. It starts in the Old Testament with the birth of the nation of Israel.

1) At Sinai, God spoke to Moses and instructed him as to how the people were to live, how to order their nation life, and how the people were to worship.

2) They became organized into a powerful with God at the center. And the symbol of God’s leading the people was the Ark of the Covenant.

C. The Ark of the Covenant was to all appearances a simple wooden box about four feet long, two feet wide and two feet deep.

1) It had golden rings on each to so that long poles could be slide through to carry it as the people traveled in the desert.

2) When they set up camp it was placed in a tent called the tabernacle.

3) It was kept there behind a curtain and never seen directly by anyone but the high priest.

4) It was the high priest’s job to go in, take down the curtain, wrap the ark in the curtain and get it ready to travel.

D. In Numbers it tells us that the people of Israel were organized around the Ark as they traveled.

1) So that at the center of their life, figuratively and literally, was the Ark of the Covenant, their national symbol.

2) It was the sign of their faith, values, unity and purpose.

E. Hebrews 9:4 tells us what was placed inside the Ark – there were three things that each told their own story and were object lessons (visual aids) to remind the people what really mattered in life.

1) Everywhere they went these three things would be in the center.

2) {Read Hebrews 9:1-4}

3) Let’s take a look at these three things and see what they tell us.

III. Exodus 16 tells us the story of the Manna.

A. The people of Israel were just out of the land of Egypt and they were beginning to think that the adventure had become a big mistake.

1) So naturally they started to blame Moses. And Moses says to them in effect: “Why are you blaming me? It was God who brought you out here. It wasn’t me. Tomorrow God will show you that his hand is upon you.

2) [describe the manna gathering]

B. Everyday until they reached the Promised Land, the people gathered mann.

1) God said to Moses: “This is what I want you to do. Tell Aaron to go and gather an omer of manna, just one days supply. Get him to put it in a golden jar. Seal the jar. Then place it in the Ark of the Covenant.

2) Every time the people see the Ark they’ll think about what’s inside of it and be reminded.

a) Generations later kids will say, “Mamma, what’s in that box?” You can say, “Inside that box there’s Manna.

b) The kids will say, “Manna? What is it?” and you’ll say “That’s what your grandfather said;” and you’ll tell the story.

IV. The manna reminds us that our physical provision comes from God.

A. What is it?

1) It’s a reminder that if it weren’t for God’s provision the people of Israel would have died there in the wilderness.

2) In the same way, God makes your crops grow today. It’s the way God blesses all your efforts to work today.

3) Every good thing you enjoy is a blessing to be received gratefully from the hand of “God.”

B. What to do? In light of God’s good gift, how do we live?

1) First, we remember Jesus.

a) We can’t help but be reminded of Jesus saying, “I am the living bread come down from heaven.”

b) We need to live in light of Jesus. He wants us to enjoy freedom and a good life in all its abundance in America.

c) But even more Jesus wants your soul to be nourished to new life everlasting.

2) Second, we reprioritize.

a) I don’t know about you, but if God is that good then I want to live differently.

b) I want as much of the blessings of an abundantly good and generous God as I can.

c) So I’ll do what he tells – I’ll rearrange anything in my life that he asks me to!

V. But the manna also reminds us that our spiritual provision comes from God.

A. What is it?

1) It’s called the Holy Spirit!

2) It’s the way God provides for us spiritually in addition to physically.

3) The Holy Spirit gives us the power to change and reprioritize.

a) We can try to change, we can read the right books, but there’s no lasting change without Christ.

b) I’m not talking about coping (putting up with the bumps and bruises)

c) I’m talking about conquering (getting over, getting past, getting through).

B. What to do? The Holy Spirit came to the church in power at Pentecost. What about you?

1) It means a change of thinking.

2) It means looking at things God’s way, not your way and that only happens when you yield your life to the Holy Spirit and begin to look at the world through God’s eyes.

VI. You see, as a nation we need to remember that we are who we are because of God’s provision.

A. Without God’s provision we wouldn’t have made it this far and we won’t make it any farther.

B. Without God’s provision of the Holy Spirit we wouldn’t have the power to live the life that God calls us to.

C. God’s provision is one of our national treasures.

end

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