The Water from the Rock—Exodus 17:1-7

0:00Hello, and good day. I'm Pastor Gillespie from St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in school Sherman Center random like Wisconsin. It's good to have you with us here for the congregation at prayer a guide for Daily Meditation and prayer wrong God's word. It's Wednesday, March 4th, 2026 at our Catechesis today To news in the Exodus yesterday. We had the bread from heaven and here today. We have the water from the rock These are all strongly Christological images as the New Testament teaches us Interesting my one of my children asked last night which is better the older in the New Testament. We've talked about it here the Old Testament and The New Testament aren't opposed to each other. It's not old as in work You know old and broken and new as in better but rather new as in here is how we are to read the old I Like the description of the New Testament as a commentary on the Old Testament. Even the Gospels are that way As we hear of the life and ministry of Jesus we see him as fulfilling the Old Testament the story there

1:04All right, and so I would rather just call them you could call it the Bible or the scriptures, right? And the distinguishing between the old and the new there is about a 400 year gap of silence in there, but But it's not better or worse, right? And so especially with like water from the rock That's a story that the New Testament teaches us to understand rightly, right? We'll do that today Today's Wednesday, so you do have midweek service as we do here around for Wednesday evening Of course in Advent and Lent we like to have a meal beforehand And so we can join us for that at 5.30 and then Divine service at 6.30 pm And as we've been doing through Lent So it's available again tonight private absolution available after divine service All right So let's begin in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord

2:05Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate Was crucified died and was buried He descended into how the third day he rose again from the dead He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he will come to judge the living and the dead I believe in the Holy Spirit the Holy Christian Church the communion of saints the forgiveness of sins The resurrection of the body and the life everlasting Amen Spare a song together. I lift up my eyes to the hills from where it is my help come My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth He will not let your foot be moved He who keeps you will not slumber Behold he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep The Lord is your keeper the Lord is your shade on your right hand The Son shall not strike you by day nor the moon by night The Lord will keep you from all evil. He will keep your life

3:08The Lord will keep you going out and you're coming in from this day Are from this time forth and forevermore Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit As it was in the beginning is now and will be forever Amen All right, let's consider our wisdom with some more detail here today Proverbs 8 Does not wisdom cry out and understanding lift up her voice She takes her stand at the on top of the high hill beside the way Where the paths meet she cries out by the gates at the entry of the city at the entrance of the doors To you, O men, I call and my voice is to the sons of men O you simple ones understand prudence and you fools be of an understanding heart Listen for I will speak of excellent things and from the opening of my lips will come right things For my mouth will speak truth wickedness is an abomination to my lips All the words of my mouth are are with righteousness nothing crooked or perverse is in them

4:09They are all plain to him who understands and write to those who find knowledge Receive my instruction and not silver and knowledge rather than choice gold For wisdom is better than rubies and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her All right, I'd like to use Dr. Stiaman's commentary on Wisdom's invitation here to the people as he titles this section All right The first poem about wisdom in proverbs Proverbs one was after the first of the ten addresses Coached or couched as a father teaching us on the second poem about wisdom here Begins the first poem did with a description of wisdom's call And the places where she proclaims her gospel invitation. It's a key gospel invitation As contrasted with the woman of last week This poem opens with a rhetorical question instead of a statement But the meaning is the same kind of like what we saw with the song My eyes Toward the hills from where does my help come right to rhetorical same here and understand

5:15Does not wisdom cry out and understanding lift up her voice Wisdom freely and graciously makes herself available to all this is reinforced by verse four Where wisdom specifically states that her message is for all people and children of mankind The parallel lines in proverbs five remind the reader that all humans are inclined to foolishness Since all are conceived and born with a sinful nature See proverbs 50 or excuse me Psalm 51 Romans 3 Therefore wisdom's call to the gullible and foolish is the call to everyone and anyone to repent and believe the divine message Wisdom continues by describing her message as consisting of noble things and upright things verse six As the truth and not wickedness for seven and as spoken with righteousness and not twisted or crooked And as plain and upright things to the wise verse nine That her palate declares truth and her lips of poor wickedness Verse seven forms a direct contrast to the adulteress Whose lips drip honey and whose palate is smooth with oil

6:16It's chapter five verse three While many of these terms have been used before in proverbs by Solomon to describe wisdom's message This is the first passage in the book where wisdom herself declares that her message consists of upright things in truth And is spoken with righteousness It is also the first passage to use these terms translated as noble things in plain verse six and nine Moreover the opposites of wisdom wickedness to discussing thing and crooked have previously applied to sinful unbelievers or their actions But they have not been used before this point by wisdom herself as antonyms the contrast with their own words By quoting wisdom herself in this way Solomon is in effect introducing wisdom anew making her fresh although she has been mentioned throughout the previous seven chapters All right, well look at that some more as we go Let's say our verse for the week we hold I tell you a mystery We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet for the trumpet

7:16Will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed 1 Corinthians 15 51 to 52 Catechism sacrament of the altar. What is the sacrament of the altar? It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine instituted by Christ himself for us Christians through eat and to drink Where is this written the Holy Evangelist Matthew Mark Luke and St Paul right our Lord Jesus Christ on the night when he was betrayed took bread And when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to the disciples and said Take eat this is my body which is given for you this do and remembrance of me in the same way Also he took the cup after supper and when he had given thanks he gave it to them saying Drink of it all of you This cup is the New Testament in my blood which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins This do as often as you drink it and remembrance of me who receives the sacrament worthily Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training But that person is truly worthy and well prepared to us faith in these words

8:20Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared for the words for you require all hearts to believe Okay Let's read our reading from Exodus of course as I said water from the rock Then the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the wilderness of sin According to the commandment of the Lord and camped in refidim But there was no water for the people to drink therefore the people Contended with Moses and said give us water that we may drink So Moses said to them why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord key And the people thirsted there for water and the people complained against Moses and said Why is it that you have brought us up out of Egypt to kill us and our children And our livestock with thirst Some Moses cried out to the Lord saying what shall I do with this people?

9:21They are almost ready to stone me and the Lord said to Moses go on before the people And take with you some of the elders of Israel and take also take in your hand your rod With which you struck the river and go behold I will stand before you there on the rock and horib and you shall strike the rock and water will come out of it And the people may drink that the people may drink And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel So he called the name of the place Masa and Meribah because of the contention of the children of Israel And because they tempted the Lord saying is the Lord among us or not All right, so probably familiar story And how much water comes out of the rock I chose an interesting image this morning It's at daybreak and there's just a little bit of trickle coming out there There are others where it's a Large stream of water which probably is more likely in order to give water to all the people in all the livestock All right, where do the Israelites camp?

10:21We leave where we were yesterday and we move on to ref a team All right, and again the problem they encounters that they have no water for the people to drink This is not the first time this happened it happened a couple chapters ago remember after we went through the Red Sea We were at at Mara Which uh Just three days after crossing the Red Sea They couldn't drink the bitter water And the Lord made the water sweet All right So Mara meaning Bitter and now we're going to have Masa and Meribah meaning contending and tempting So it goes did they remember what happened before? No No, it doesn't seem so right Remember we talked about this yesterday blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it Where it holds fast to preaching and teaching third commandment will confess next week That's how you we remember properly is by listening to the word Right the Lord's word are apart from God's word We are forgetful and in forgetting that's where the sort of contending and quarreling and tempting comes

11:27All right, but notice they don't contend with the Lord who they contend with With Moses of all people what can Moses do for them? Well, yes God's intercessor But really who are they accusing Yes, that's God And again they say You just wish they hadn't said it right It's not the kind of thing you want to say I wish we had stayed in Egypt like yesterday meet pots and bread to the full and now Water right We didn't die for thirst there Moses is worried Verse four that they're almost ready to stone him All right, again the Lord does not seem to be angry. He's patient here with them He tells Moses to take some elders and the rod with which he struck the river and to stand by the rock in horab Strike the rock and water would come out for the people to drink All right, and again, he names it or it is named by what happens All right, Masha and Maraba, Masha meaning testing Maraba meaning contention or quarreling

12:31Right because they tested the Lord Masha and Maraba because they contended with him All right, is the Lord among us or not? How is that question related to you or to especially to the life of the baptized? Remember what Jesus said go and make disciples of all nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things I've commanded you we talked about that yesterday And though I will be with you always even into the end of the ages so The Lord is with you by his word of promise attached to baptism by his word um The guide you in the way that you should go right And the rock interestingly enough is again interpreted by the apostle Paul and first Corinthians 10 That the rock was Christ And this is again connected to baptism So this is a baptism story according to the New Testament. This isn't just Pastor Gillespie making things up, right? Listen to what Paul says Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware That all our fathers were under the cloud all passed through the sea all were baptized into Moses and the cloud and in the sea

13:35All ate the same spiritual food And all drank the same spiritual drink For they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ That rock was Christ So that's this is how you to understand the story Who are they complaining against the Lord and who is given to them For meat and drink indeed for water Refreshing water springs of living water that would be Jesus right and he is the rock which was struck Key there again, that's first Peter or excuse me first Corinthians Faith cannot be built on experience that it can only be built upon the word of God Israel had experienced the command of God Overwater both at the Nile and at the Red Sea they had known that wonder if the waters bitter waters made sweet But they still question whether the Lord was among them If the Lord and his mercy used the wooden rod to open up the rock and pour forth Life giving water just as the rock Jesus is split open by the cross to pour forth

14:36Life giving waters of baptism remember blood and water come from aside Because we have been marked with water in the word We are certain of our salvation And the Lord's presence among us Daily we return to our baptism to proclaim the victory which is ours recraced Okay And our second reading a brief one from John 12 Now a great many of the Jews knew that he was there and they Bethany and they came not for Jesus sake only But that they might also see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead But the chief priest plotted to put Lazarus to death also Because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus and help but Hear the story of the rich man and Lazarus a different Lazarus or the same Lazarus right dip your send someone back and Dip their finger in the cool water Or go and testify if I have five brothers that they not come to this place of torment remember what Jesus said to them This is in the synoptic and synoptic gospel's Matthew American Luke not John, but he says to them

15:39Even if someone were to be raised from the dead they will not believe Right, and you see that here with the chief priest who Lazarus and his testimony that Christ is the resurrection and the life as Jesus said Is bringing many are coming to faith and yet others are Becoming even more stubborn in their refusal. We saw this with Pharaoh We see this even today for some The the word of the gospel the good news Actually drives them further into their despair because they cannot believe it. It's only by the spirit that they will believe Okay Let's sing our hymn for the week when in the hour deepest need start at the top Oh

16:47When in the hour of the Yes We know not where to For Hey When days and nights of anxious thought No, how far council yet From And as our come for the soul That we may need to be for your To hear We Or ask you in our me Or you have from this whole heart to

17:50Children's cries in time His name Is great Our save your heart And so we come Today And all our most before You lay Or sorely tried And Flex my fears on every hand All from our sins Lord turn your face Absolves through your boundless grace Be with us in our name and still

18:55Free us at last from every go So we went all our hearts each day To your heart that makes hand in pain Then walk all we can to remember And no one's ever All right, let us pray mercifully look upon like people O Lord and grant it those from the out of spits I bid to abstain from carnal foods may also cease from hurtful vices Through Jesus Christ by Son our Lord who live it and reigneth with thee In the unity of the Holy Ghost ever one God world without end. Amen

19:57Grant that those whom thou dost bid to abstain from carnal foods may also cease from hurtful vices seem Food and vice go together Also pray O God you see that of ourselves we have no strength by your mighty power defend us from all adversities That may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul Through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit one God now and forever Heavenly Father you teach me that fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training Before receiving the Lord's upper But then I am truly worthy and well prepared if I have faith in these words Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins Give me truly repentant faith that trusting my sins and trusting in the merits of Jesus alone I might worthily receive his body and blood So that I find joy and comfort in Christ alone and also learn from him to love you and my neighbor Through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen pray this day for marriage and family that husbands and wives parents and children

20:59Live in ordered harmony according to the word of God for parents who must rear their children alone for our communities and neighborhoods I also pray for the households of our church this week with Ron and Joan Michael and Michelle Stephen Karen Shannon Marlene Allen Jane pray for our catechumans Esther Patrick Alexander and sovereign pray for those ill-receiving treatment or recovering especially Joe Len Ron Sheila Brad Kayla and Vicki Scarlett Jim Debbie Dan Jim Jim Dick Pauline pray for our homebound Dan Sophie Ruth Joan Paul Dolores and Ruth Pray for the missions and mercy work of the church especially that of Camp Louisimo And we pray for those grieving the family of friends of Joyce Jim and of Dan For all this let us pray to the Lord Lord have mercy Our Father who art in heaven. Howl would be thy name like kingdom calm. They will be done on earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses

22:00As we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Oh, man I thank you my Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ your dear Son That you have kept me this night from all harm and danger and I pray that you would keep me this day also From sin and every evil that all my doings and life may please you For into your hands I commend myself my body and soul and all things Let your holy angel be with me That the evil foe may have no power over me man Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God in the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all Come in All right, we kept that a little bit more brief. Well, it's just a brief of readings That's okay. I hope it's been a blessing to you I'm remembering that Christ is the source of of your life of your salvation and even as the water came from his side So that water is washed upon you and you are made clean in him. Thanks for checking in on the chat

23:05and I receive Vicki and the emendorfer's my folks Don and Karen A Chris happy birthday by the way. I think I understand it was yesterday Gus and I lean in Tim good to see you checking in there Join us this this evening for a meal at 530 divine service at 630 And then we'll be back here tomorrow morning to continue in the story of the Exodus God be with you all. We'll see you soon We welcome you to join us for divine service on Sundays and Wednesdays We offer Bible class and catechesis for youth and any interested adults If this podcast is a benefit to you, please consider supporting the work of our congregation by going to sjrl.org sjrl.org And clicking the donate link join us to receive the Lord's Word and his gifts