Enough Is Enough

Exodus 16:1–18 NIV

The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.” So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?” Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.” Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’ ” While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud. The Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’ ” That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’ ” The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.

All or Nothing

Fall Festival is coming up and it has me thinking a lot about…chocolate.

Specifically, Peanut M&M’s.

One of two things with M&M’s and me…

Doesn’t matter if it’s one of those enormous bags or a fun sized bag...

If I see them it’s ALL or NOTHING!

I’m either not touching them because I know nothing good is about to happen.

Or nothing good is really about to happen.

Do you have anything like that in your life?

Do you ever wonder why sometimes we want more than we need?

There are a lot of examples of people wanting more than they need in the Bible.

Today we’re going to see how to trust that God’s Enough…Is Enough.

Grumbling

Exodus 16:2–3 NIV

In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

For context, God has delivered the Israelites from 400 years of slavery.

They have seen God use Moses to topple Pharoah, the most powerful ruler in the Ancient Near East.

They have seen God part the waters of the Red Sea and destroy a large portion of the Egyptian Army.

When they look at their children, they are looking at the first free Israelite children in 14 generations.

How do they respond?

Thank you, God, for finally delivering us from 400+ years of captivity!

Thank you for freedom, for the joy of future generations, and fulfilling all your promises!

Nope...

It turns out we have an actual photo from the day...

Yes, friends, even the babies were angry, and apparently they wore bow ties.

“Ah, we should have just died in Egypt, Moses and Aaron!”

“Where’s the food, Moses and Aaron!?”

“We’d rather be slaves than starve in the wilderness, Moses and Aaron!”

Can you just hear the whining and the griping?

If you were Moses and Aaron, how do you think you might be tempted to respond?

Fortunately, God is significantly more gracious than some of us might be inclined to respond.

God’s Response

Exodus 16:4–5 NIV

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

Thank God He doesn’t love us because we’re good.

If that were the criteria, the Israelites had no chance.

Despite the grumbling, God gives them bread and later meat.

Exodus 16:17–18 NIV

The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.

That’s a reflection on the way that God loves.

Matthew 5:45 NIV

that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

You’d think that now the Israelites have learned their lesson.

They didn’t.

In the very next verses they’re told not to save any food…that God will provide for all their needs.

Several people disobeyed

They wake up to an awful stench and all the food was maggot infested.

Is that not an amazing example of what it’s like to gather, gather, gather…more, more, more?

“I need more, God. Just a little more, God.”

After this amazing demonstration of God’s care, some of the Israelites STILL hoard all the M&M’s!!!

Here’s the thing…God knows that we will do this and the Bible tells us why...

The Root of “Never Enough”

Genesis 3:6 NIV

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

There’s a saying that the root of all sin is idolatry.

The first man and woman desired knowledge that God chose not to give them.

The Israelites desired another sort of knowledge that God had not yet given them…Namely, where food would come from.

You can probably think of all the things in your own life that have, from time to time, replaced God because you didn’t know if God was really going to come through.

The root of sin is idolatry

the root of idolatry is lack of trust in God.

The Cure

Fortunately, Jesus showed us the extent to which we can trust in God’s provision.

Luke 23:46 NIV

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Friends, if you or I die tomorrow, we still get to trust that God is going to take care of us.

When the finances are tight, God will take care of us.

When we’re sick, God will take care of us.

When the kids don’t listen, God will take care of us and them.

To our very last breath and beyond, God will take care of us.

The first Sunday of November begins a new sermon series on gratitude.

In reparation, I want to ask you two questions.

What would you give up or stop doing if God’s enough was enough?

What would you start doing if God’s enough was enough?

Let’s Pray

God fed His people out of love for them

Pharoah fed them to keep them able to work