Speaker 1: 0:07

Good morning. I'm going to be in Matthew 6 this morning. Matthew, chapter 6. We've been looking at the Lord's Prayer as our guide to take us through the Forward in Faith series. We had a few things before that, but in recent weeks anyway, this is helping us understand what it means to move forward in faith. And Jesus has taught us thus far that when we come to the Lord in prayer we need to remember our identity, that he is our father and that we are his children and that he loves us. So and that helps us come expectantly, expecting good things from God and resting in his infinite wisdom. But then Jesus moves us into the first three petitions, which help shape not only our prayers but the way that we live life and the way that we approach giving in a God-centered way. For he calls upon us to pray hallowed be thy name, your kingdom come and thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. But then we move from these directly God-centered petitions to the fourth petition, which is what we're going to look at today. Give us this day our daily bread. We've already prayed the Lord's Prayer together, so I won't have us do it again, but I will ask God to help us understand. We need His Holy Spirit. So let's pray together. Heavenly Father, I believe in the Holy Spirit, we believe in the Holy Spirit, and so God, move now in our hearts and minds, move in our midst, that we can taste and see the goodness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Open our eyes, the eyes of our hearts, now to grab hold of the things of the kingdom of God. In Jesus name, god's people said Amen.

Speaker 1: 2:06

We're going to look at this petition, this fourth petition. It's a rich petition. I'm going to have us focus upon six things in it this morning. And the first thing that we come across in this petition is the word give. And here God's teaching us and the Lord Jesus is teaching us dependence, to pray, give. It means seeking God's grace to live and give with a faith-filled dependence upon God in all things. The fact that we come to God to give us our basic things tells us we need Him in all things and we're dependent upon him in all things. We know that God is everywhere. God is in this room. If God was not in this room, we would not exist right now. He sustains our every breath.

Speaker 1: 2:59

Here's how Paul puts it to the Athenians in Acts, chapter 17, that it's in God that we live and move and have our being. He not only creates us, he sustains us Every single breath. James, our Lord's brother, says in the first chapter every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father of lights. So think of all the goodness that God has showered into your life, all the good things God has granted you. Every bit of it it comes from Him.

Speaker 1: 3:37

This is why Paul told the proud Corinthians one of the things they struggled. It was a cosmopolitan port city in the ancient world and they struggled with pride, and you can see it in the letters that he writes. But in the fourth chapter of the first letter he says this what do you have that you did not receive? And then, if you then received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? So they were boasting. They had forgotten where everything comes from. They should have been thankful to God.

Speaker 1: 4:08

Some might think you know when they hear this. Well, you know, pastor, I work hard for my money and the things that I've gotten. And true enough in most cases, certainly in many, that is the case. But listen closely to Deuteronomy, chapter eight, moses. Right before his death, he's preaching his last sermon series. That's what the book to Deuteronomy, chapter 8.

Speaker 1: 4:26

Moses, right before his death, he's preaching his last sermon series that's what the book of Deuteronomy is. And he's preparing God's people to go into the land, that land flowing with milk and honey. And he says to them beware lest you say in your heart my power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. You shall remember the Lord, your God, for it is. He might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. You shall remember the Lord, your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is to this day. So he granted them wealth by his grace solely on the promise that he'd given them had nothing to do with what they had done to earn it, had nothing to do with what they had done to earn it. And he goes on to say, moses, the Lord through Moses, that if you forget the Lord, you shall surely perish. So there's a great danger of us thinking that we're self-made men and women. There actually is no such thing, that doesn't exist. And so we pray for daily bread from God, and when we do that. It honors God, it glorifies God, it acknowledges him as the giver of all good things and the enabler of us to have the power and the opportunities and the resources to be able to work and to gain things and to be blessed in certain ways, and so we give him thanks for that. And as we do that, it helps keep us humble and it helps root pride out of our heart and mind and life.

Speaker 1: 5:54

In Daniel, chapter four, the king of Babylon, king Nebuchadnezzar you may remember his famous saying there. Here's what he says Is not this great Babylon which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty? And Daniel, the prophet says, before Nebuchadnezzar even got those last words off his lips, god had already determined and began his process of being humiliated Not Daniel, but King Nebuchadnezzar. Before long, king Nebuchadnezzar was crawling around in the grass with drool coming off his beard, eating grass like a cow, like a madman. God humbled this arrogant king into the dust. The Bible says God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Speaker 1: 6:49

And so the world has many people in it who have much bread in their cupboards. They have much wealth, and the fact of the matter is isn't that us? I mean, we open, we have a fridge full and, if we're honest, haven't we sometimes said, man, there's nothing to eat in here, you know, even though it's overflowing? Maybe what we mean is there's nothing that I particularly wanted in here, but the cupboards are full. Most of our fridges are full that's not true in every case, but often here in America and yet there are many people whose cupboards are full and they have much wealth in the bank or in other ways, they have the inability to truly enjoy it as God intended, and the reason is because they're spiritually miserable and so, with all the blessings God has poured out upon them, they can't truly enjoy it in a way that brings the kind of joy that God intends for His people to have.

Speaker 1: 7:51

Paul tells us in 1 Timothy that God gives His children all good things to enjoy. Isn't God good? He lovingly gives us things because he wants to enjoy them. He cares about our joy. He wants to enjoy his good gifts, just like when we give a gift to someone, we want them to enjoy that, but certainly not the gift for the gift's sake, but that we can draw closer to him. But he gives us not just the things, the good things, but God is also and here's a key he gives us the ability to enjoy good things.

Speaker 1: 8:24

Think about the people that you've known in the world. They have so much and yet they're miserable. They're miserable, and that's a sad situation indeed. So we rely, we're dependent upon God for good gifts, and we're also dependent upon God to be able to enjoy those good gifts. And so dependence is the first thing Jesus is teaching us here in this prayer or in this petition. But the second thing is sharing.

Speaker 1: 8:53

Notice the word us, as in when we pray, give us. It means we're seeking God's grace to live and give with a caring concern for the needs of other people. Us not merely give me, but give us. And so, god, what is Jesus teaching us here? He's teaching us to lift our eyes from ourselves. Yes, we have to seek God for our own needs. We have needs too, but to broaden our vision in life, to have this sincere concern for the needs of other people, to broaden our vision in life, to have this sincere concern for the needs of other people, not just their physical needs, but also their spiritual needs.

Speaker 1: 9:31

You remember when God poured out His Holy Spirit at Pentecost, acts, chapter 2, 3,000 souls were converted in a day. It was a time of great revival, where God's spirit had filled those people and that made them have a devotion to the word and prayer and sacraments. But then there's a fourth thing that Luke mentions Also the fellowship. They were devoted to the fellowship, the koinonia, which is literally the sharing. They were devoted to the sharing, to the koinonia, to the fellowship, the sharing of what? The sharing of life in Christ together. That's what they were devoted to the sharing of life in Christ together. And then, when we continue to read through Acts, chapter 2 and beyond, we see that they shared not only their spiritual blessings with one another, but they also shared the physical blessings that they had with one another. But they also shared the physical blessings that they had with one another as each had need and as each had ability to give.

Speaker 1: 10:31

And that's a big part of what this campaign has been about. Over and over we've heard it's about sharing sharing what Our time, our talents, our treasure. For what purpose? To strengthen West Town Church and our shared life together in Christ. That's the goal, and to promote the gospel ministry in Northwest Tampa and beyond, both in our time and, hopefully for generations to come.

Speaker 1: 11:01

But there is one thing I think, when we think about sharing, that the Bible emphasizes, that deserves special attention, and that is this God commands us, his people, to remember the poor. He commands it all over the Scripture. It's a priority Especially to remember the poor of our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Here's how Galatians 6.10 puts it. Let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Let us do good to everyone, but especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Speaker 1: 11:34

And so people often forget that God brought judgment upon the city of Sodom, and he brought judgment upon them for their sexual immorality. But people, when they get to the prophet Ezekiel's book, will notice in the 16th chapter that God also brought judgment upon them for another reason. Listen, it says this Behold, this was the guilt of your sister, sodom. She and her daughters had pride, excess of food and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy, and so they were consumed with a self-centered life, not only as it applied to their immoral sexual lives, but also as it applied to others who had needs when they had the ability to help them. In the book of Acts and you can see it in the letters that the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthian church. You can see there that he speaks about. In fact, he commands the churches to take up a collection to help the poor Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, because there was a severe famine going on in Jerusalem and God's people were to help one another. And that's in part an important reason why we have a mercy fund here at Westtown Church, so we can help our brothers and sisters in a time of need or we can help, as we're able, people in the community. We also partner with different ministries that reach out to the poor and needy in our midst, here in Northwest Tampa or the broader community, to Christians and non-Christians alike. This is very important to the Lord, is very important to the Lord, and I think Westtown does a good job of reaching out into our community in that way. I praise God for that.

Speaker 1: 13:26

I came across some numbers. They're from about a decade ago, but as I thought about it I thought I don't think it makes a whole lot of difference. I don't think there's been a massive shift in the last 10 years in this area. Here's what I found a massive shift in the last 10 years in this area. Here's what I found.

Speaker 1: 13:42

One in seven people in the world live below the level of extreme poverty One out of seven. In 2014, that was $1.25 a day. In today's dollars, it's about $1.70. Think about trying to live on that. Half of the world's population lives on less than $2.50 a day. Back in 2014. Today, $3.40.

Speaker 1: 14:08

As I was thinking about that, I thought hmm, that does make me look at a Starbucks latte a little different. You know, sometimes if we get in our bubble we can just forget wow, five bucks may not mean much to us, but it's an awful lot to many people. And so obviously we can't solve the world's poverty problem. We're not God. There's only one person that can save the world and that's God. But we can do what we can do. It's interesting that a third of the world very sad they have no access to proper sanitation. One out of three people in the entire world don't have proper sanitation. Can you imagine living like that? Half the world's children are in poverty and it's just shocking when you think about it.

Speaker 1: 14:58

We are a blessed people. Amen. We are richly, richly blessed. If you're an American and I don't even care what level you're at well, I do. But I'm just saying it doesn't really matter what level you're at In the world standard, you are a rich person and if you're in Northwest Tampa you are really rich. It's just good for us to be reminded of that. It's good for us to be reminded People like to blame the poor for their plight.

Speaker 1: 15:28

You know, and we can do that to dismiss things, and fair enough in some cases. Proverbs 19.15 talks about the problem. Sometimes people become poor because of laziness. That can happen. Yes, there are those cases, addictions. We know about that kind of thing and the problems that can bring. But William Edgar points out that many cases of poverty across the world, including in our own country. As a matter of fact, in the previous church I pastored at, there was a missionary couple who worked in the Appalachian Mountains.

Speaker 1: 16:02

You talk about poor Whoa and it's intergenerational. It's like it gets a hold of a community and it just keeps them there in that bondage and they can't break the cycle. But you have wars and flooding and droughts and famine. Think about all the different health things we've had going on in our church over just the past year, let alone the past decade. What if you had not had access to just the most basic health care for the problems that have arisen, or the problems of a loved one or friend that have arisen, or the problems of a loved one or friend that have arisen. You're just stuck, you just die. Or you're stuck.

Speaker 1: 16:42

Lack of educational opportunities or lack of training Can you imagine having no training and they say go get them. How? I don't understand how to do certain things without training. And those that do get opportunities, sometimes they have no legal representation, so they're taken terrible advantage of. There's tyrannical and corrupt governments, lack of capital in many cases. Imagine the businesses in our country if they didn't have access from time to time of loans to cover certain periods of maybe lower cash flows or even to start a business or whatever the case might be. Many in the world can't even get a microloan to start the simplest little project that involves maybe a cart or something like that, or to have a bike. Broken families, et cetera. I could go on.

Speaker 1: 17:35

My point is there's many needs for the poor and we just can't forget the poor in our midst and here in Westchase. Don't let the Mercedes-Benz, don't let the Lexus or the Tesla that pulls up next to you at the stoplights fool you, because there are needs all around us and if you lived in Westchase long enough, you start to realize, oh, there are needs here and you know people can be very wealthy and be extremely poor in friendships. That happens and it doesn't happen infrequently, in fact. As a matter of fact, sociologists talk about the loneliness epidemic in America and it's no respecter of what household you're in, whether you're in low income, middle or high. Many people are dying of loneliness and, as a matter of fact, robert Putnam, the Harvard professor he wrote a book a couple decades ago Bowling Alone. Bowling Alone quite a picture. But you know, in those cases, sharing your time and concerns more important than sharing your money. They have the money, but they're dying inside, relationally, and so we need to look on our street, we need to look around, see who's the widow on our block, who's lost someone they love, who's struggling. Look in their eyes. Look in their eyes. Many people are dying of loneliness and it's a hard thing to admit to someone else.

Speaker 1: 19:04

There's plenty of needs all around us and you know what's so beautiful about Jesus? Here's the incarnate Son of God, the Son of God in glory. He puts on flesh and bone and he comes down. And what does he do? He took time. He comes into our neighborhood, so to speak, and he takes time to sit down and eat with the likes of us. He would go to Jerusalem three times a year and feast with God's people. He would celebrate at weddings. He took time to converse with other people. He would share the wisdom and the knowledge that he had. He would pray with other people and for other people. He took the time. Look at how he used his resources as the son of God. He healed other people in mercy. He fed the multitudes people in mercy. He fed the multitudes. And then the ultimate act he laid down his life for the forgiveness of our sins. Aren't you glad this is our God? Look at the tender heart of God. I don't know.

Speaker 1: 20:11

If there's one thing you ask Americans, how are you? What's the most likely answer going to be? We're busy. I actually think time is more valuable in our society now than almost any other thing. How are we going to spend our time? That's why we need this prayer to spend it on important things. Paul says to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 8, he who was rich for our sake became poor, so that through his poverty we might become rich. Amen. A lot to think about on that. But this petition helps us understand God's heart for sharing and we need the grace for that as well, to get our eyes off ourself. But thirdly, perspective. When we pray this petition, we're praying for the proper perspective. Look at the words this day, as in give us this day. This day, that means we're seeking God's grace to live and give without sinful worry about the future.

Speaker 1: 21:14

Proverbs talks about the ant. We had to put some ant killer down around our entry door. I'm sad to say, but I never was I ceased to be amazed. I would see these ants and every time. Sometimes we'd brush the stuff away and then hear that come back, those little piles. I'm like man, those things never stop working. They're working it, right, they're working it, and they call their buddies to help and it just doesn't matter after it rains and they come right back. And Proverbs says take note to those little ants. You take note to them now because in a sense they're working and they're planning and they're thinking about provisions for the future. And Proverbs in chapter 6 says she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. And the wisdom for us to be gained there is to save and invest while we're young and energetic, while we're healthy, because if we live long enough, the time of old age is coming, the time of less energy, and perhaps sickness and disease can come in at any time.

Speaker 1: 22:17

Proverbs 13 says the good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children. Right, so the good man doesn't simply just live for himself, consume everything himself. He shows moderation so that he can leave something for his children and his grandchildren. He's thinking about more than just himself. He shows moderation so that he can leave something for his children and his grandchildren. He's thinking about more than just himself. And I have to say our reckless national debt is a very self-centered, wicked thing. There is no reason we as a country should be strapping the future generation with this kind of insane debt. That's a wicked thing and I pray that God helps us as a nation not do that to our children and grandchildren in the future, but in teaching us to pray for our bread this day, what's our Lord teaching us? Well, we're certainly acknowledging the constant dependence we have, which we already mentioned, but he's teaching us in the sense to live one day at a time. One day at a time.

Speaker 1: 23:16

Herman Witsius talks about it this way we're not to have this excessive desire for the good things in life. Nothing wrong with longing or hoping for the good things of this life God does give us things to enjoy and many blessings. But excessive desire, it can take over and consume us if we're not careful. And we're also called here to put aside sinful worry. Worry about the needs of tomorrow. Worry is too focused on tomorrow. There's a difference between legitimate concern and sinful worry. The Bible and Proverbs says the one is wise we need to plan and invest and think about the future. But the other lacks faith in God's care. When we've gone from legitimate concern to worry, that's when we're in sin.

Speaker 1: 24:05

And Jesus even tells us look look at the birds, remember the birds. They don't have barns, they can't gather things in barns, and yet God cares for them. And look at the grass and the lilies of the field. They don't spin or toil, and yet God clothes them with beauty. He puts clothes on them. That's glorious.

Speaker 1: 24:24

And then what does Jesus do? He gives us a command linked to a promise. He says but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. You see, seek first the kingdom of God. Seek that which is ultimately valuable, eternal. Seek those things that will never rust or be destroyed. Seek those things secured by God for this life and the life to come. Seek those things and seek God's righteousness, which simply means seek to be right with God through faith in Christ, but then seek also to live a right life, get right with God and then live right. And then he says and then, all these things we worried about, see, he's saying that's what you lock in on. Lock in on those things, the things that God has secured for you. Don't let this tempering, those things passing away, consume your soul. That's a foolish way to live. He says so, all these things when you seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And he says here's the promise and all these things, what things, all these things we tend to worry about, will be added unto you. God will take care of us. In other words, don't worry about it, god's got it.

Speaker 1: 25:39

And so Jesus, in this prayer, teaches us perspective. Thirdly, but then fourthly, justice Notice the word our as in to pray. Give us this day our daily bread. And so we're to seek God's grace, to live and give in a way that honors God's just means and includes compassionate motives. Let me unpack this for just a minute. God provides us with all good things right, and we acknowledge that he provides us with all good things, but there's a way that we can begin to think about God's sovereignty that's not biblical, it's almost fatalistic. I mean, god doesn't say I'll take care of you, I'll provide your daily bread, so just lay on your bed and wait for Uber Eats to show up. That's just not how God does it. He works through means. He works through us and through other people, and we're to do our part, and so this is in no way an excuse for laziness. It's not an excuse for dishonest or unjust or immoral means.

Speaker 1: 26:41

We just watched a movie about John Gotti and some of you that were alive in the 80s. That was quite an era for the mafia, but he had daily bread, him and his people. But it wasn't their daily bread. It wasn't rightfully their daily bread. They used intimidation and violence and even murder to get it and to secure it. Our daily bread is daily bread. That's rightfully ours. We get daily bread in a way that hallows God's name and is according to the will of God.

Speaker 1: 27:16

Can't forget the first part of the prayer to understand the later parts. And so we're to be diligent and honest and fair in our work. We're to be loving and caring, whether we're the employee or the employer. Think about the fourth commandment. When you think about the fourth commandment, you probably think keep the Sabbath day holy or keep the Lord's day holy. But it also commands this Six days you shall labor and do all your work. Six days you shall labor. God created us to be workers like the ant. It's a blessing to work. Thessalonians.

Speaker 1: 27:56

Paul says to them if anyone's not willing to work, let him not eat. That's called tough love. If anyone's not willing to work, let him not eat. You see, there were some in Thessalonica that were saying Jesus is coming back anytime. Let's just check out, we'll just tap out and wait for the second coming. Paul says no way, if they're not working, they're not eating. I remember Martin Luther. They said well, if you knew Jesus was coming back tomorrow, what would you do? He said I'd plant a tree.

Speaker 1: 28:24

All work is spiritual work and it's pleasing to God. And the common ordinary work is a good thing. Paul says now, such persons we command and encourage in the Lord, jesus Christ, to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. As for you, brothers, do not weary in doing good. You see, we're to work and do good in our work, and we're to work so that we can also do good outside of our work.

Speaker 1: 28:47

But justice requires something else. Not just that we get our daily bread through just means, but also that our motive for getting it is right. You see, when God's kingdom comes into our hearts, it changes the motives of our hearts and therefore this petition must be understood in light of that. What does that mean? It means that we have a heart of compassion for others, even as we're obtaining things, to take care of ourselves and our family and those around us. I think it's interesting that the Old Testament prophets would speak of justice in terms of compassion, oftentimes the poor. You had the ability to help the poor and you did nothing and they would be condemned because they had a hard heart toward the poor. They dismissed the poor. So we have to have a right motive for working. If we're able-bodied and we have the mental capacity and some people, that breaks down and God understands that we should do what we can to care for ourselves and not rely on others.

Speaker 1: 29:52

The Bible also says it's important to take care of your own relatives, especially those of your own household. In fact, if you have the means to do that and you don't do that, paul says you've denied the faith and you're worse than an unbeliever. Pretty strong words, 1 Timothy 5.8. But there's another motive, often neglected. Jesus said it's more blessed to give than to receive. I wonder if we really believe that this morning? I think we believe it, but do we believe it like we should? If you've ever had the ability to help somebody, are you ever happier and more joyful? Perhaps praising God is the height of the Christian life, but when we help other people, isn't there a great joy that comes into your heart?

Speaker 1: 30:32

Isaiah, chapter 5, listen to this, proverbs 11. Let me see this one first. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. If we bring blessing, our souls will be watered. Isaiah the prophet, the 58th chapter, says the same thing. Listen, whoever pours himself out for the hungry and satisfies the desire of the afflicted shall be like a well-watered garden. You and I want our souls to be well-watered. Isn't that a beautiful picture? I want a refreshed soul, a well-watered garden for a soul. Well, one of the ways that we can know when our heart begins to get dry and small. If we're honest with ourself and we'll look in the mirror and prayer before God, we'll realize we have become way too self-focused. How do we break out of that? God, help me get my eyes off myself and lift up and see who I can help today, giving them my time, my talent, my treasure. Whatever the case may be, let me serve other people, and that will God will refresh your soul. As you get right with him and get focused on Christ and help other people, he will begin to refresh your soul. But there's a so. There's this fourth thing justice. But there's a fifth thing in this petition contentment Notice the word daily means seeking God's grace.

Speaker 1: 31:57

Give us this day our daily bread. So we're to seek God's grace, to live and give with contentment and God's sovereign wisdom, contentment. Contentment's not learned. I mean, it's learned, it's not natural, rather, and so Jesus teaches us. He could have said weekly bread, monthly, yearly, whatever, no daily bread, and he's not saying don't save. He's not saying don't plan. His point, though, is to where we should be oriented Our daily bread. Yes, we should save for the future today, we should plan for the future today. But as we do that, we should rest in the contentment of what God has provided for us and be confident that he will take care of us tomorrow, just like he has done today.

Speaker 1: 32:44

Here's how Paul puts it in 1 Timothy 6, 8. But if we have food and clothing, we shall be content with these. Wow, that's a standard, isn't it? Now clothing there actually involves, includes shelter. It's not just this, it's that which covers us Clothing as well as shelter. So if we have food, clothing and shelter and we have the love of God through faith in Christ, we should be content.

Speaker 1: 33:12

But we have to learn this. We have to grow to be content. Paul had to learn it. He had a thorn in the flesh. He had to learn the sufficiency of the grace of God to provide for him. King David learned it. Here's what it sounds like the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. I think more than any other part of Scripture when I say Psalm 23,. My blood pressure drops 20 points. The Lord is my shepherd. Is he your shepherd? I shall not want. God will take care of us. Amen, he will take care of us. Godliness with contentment is great gain, paul says. And so we have to grow in this and we grow in it through prayer and worship.

Speaker 1: 33:59

Listen to Agger's prayer, proverbs 30. Two things I ask of you. Deny them not to me before I die. Remove far from me falsehood and lying. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that's needful for me, not my sibling, not my neighbor, not the guy down the street or at work or whoever else it is. Lord, give me the food needful for me. You know me. You know me better than myself. You know what I need. I'm going to trust your wisdom. Give me that Lord. Right, it says. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that's needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say who is the Lord, or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of God.

Speaker 1: 34:50

This is not a prayer against improvement, right? No, it's a prayer for contentment, right? No, it's a prayer for contentment. Give me daily food. Let me be content with daily bread, lord. And then, lastly, confidence. Not only do we pray for the grace, for contentment in this petition, but also for confidence.

Speaker 1: 35:10

Notice the word bread. Give us this day our daily bread. What is the bread? It's seeking God's grace to live and give with confidence, confident of God's care for our physical and spiritual needs. Notice here he puts it in physical terms.

Speaker 1: 35:29

You know, throughout the history of the church, sometimes the spiritual overrode the physical, as if the common life was somehow sub-spiritual or unchristian or something. And if you really wanted to be spiritual, you became a priest or a nun or something. In that regard, one of the things the Reformation recovered was a healthy view of the physical world and our bodies and the common life. And so God cares for our bodies as well as our souls. He saves both our souls as well as our bodies. That's what the resurrection of Christ is about, and God one day is going to raise our bodies from the dead.

Speaker 1: 36:03

But listen to John in 3 John 2. Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well for your souls. Do you see that he's praying for their good health and that all would go well as well as it goes with your soul? And so all these basic things. Yes, god tests us sometimes.

Speaker 1: 36:24

Sometimes God calls us to suffer for his glory and he has his reasons. And one day in glory, we can ask him and if he cares to answer all the reasons, he'll tell us. But we can pray for bodily health. It is okay for us to pray for prosperity, and that's what shalom is that everything in your life would go well and prosper. That's what shalom is to the Jew. I pray that everything would go well for you, everything. It's a beautiful, beautiful benediction. But we should also get on our knees with Christ and pray. But, father, not my will, but your will be done. So whatever you send in my life, god, I'm going to accept from your hands. Think of all the martyrs throughout history that God asked to suffer.

Speaker 1: 37:11

And so Genesis calls his creation good and our bodies. After the people were created in the sixth day, god said he looked on all creation. It's very good. He fed his people with manna and quail and water in the wilderness. But what's the point? Abraham Kuyper gets it. All these good gifts of God are not to have us focus on the gifts. We're to enjoy and appreciate the gifts, and it's to lead us to the giver, to praise him, to thank him, to live for him, to use everything he's given to us for his honor and his glory, to realize that we're stewards and he's the owner of all.

Speaker 1: 37:56

And lastly, that we need more than just physical bread. We need spiritual bread. Here's how Jesus puts it I am the bread of life. John, chapter six Whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. He goes on in that same chapter to say truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has present tense has eternal life.

Speaker 1: 38:21

The moment we believe in Christ we possess eternal life, not just life forever, but that quality of life. We're guaranteed that quality of life in heaven and we get in its fullness, and we get a portion of it now. I am the bread of life. Jesus says your father ate the man in the wilderness and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat of it and not die.

Speaker 1: 38:44

I am the living bread that comes down from heaven, and if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. And so we need Christ, and that's why, if we want to live the abundant life in this life and in the life to come, we need to have faith in Christ, the true bread of life. We need more than just physical bread. We need a life with God. We need to be forgiven of our sins. We need eternal life, and this is why St Augustine said 1,600 years ago you have made us for yourself, o Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in thee. Let's pray, let's ask for God's help.