Are You Full, or Satisfied?
Notes
Transcript
27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a Word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Our Gospel reading today, continues the narrative that we began in Mark 6. While we have shifted to another Gospel writer, we are still dealing with the same two issues. Our Lord did a miraculous work that met a critical human need, and so now the crowd is faced with “the hour of decision.” How shall they respond to Jesus’ words? How shall they respond to Him?
The issues of seeing and not seeing, of light and darkness, of life and death permeate the Gospel of John. While all four Gospels focus on the ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, it seems that John’s Gospel demands that we, as the song by Helen Baylor goes, “look a little closer.”
It is possible to get the facts right, but get the message wrong - that’s what these people did. Everyone that was with Jesus and His disciples the day before knew that they had been fed by them, and some of them were probably close enough to have seen Jesus break the bread and the two small fish. They also knew that Jesus did not leave with the 12 when they got into the boat.
They knew what they had seen, but they didn’t know what it could mean. We can read our Bibles, participate in corporate worship, even go to Bible Study - all good things! How do we do so and reach the right conclusions? Those are things that are useful, “meet , right and salutary,” as it says in the Proper Preface. What if we all were active in these things; would God bless our congregation? We are studying the Book of Acts in our Monday Night Bible Study, and we read the following in
Acts 2:42–47 (ESV)
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
When people read or hear those words, we might focus on different things. Some people focus on the middle part - “And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” Last week, I focused on the beginning and especially, the end: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers....And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
I can’t help it, I suppose. I believe that what we preach here is “the purest Gospel,” and that I have learned “the proper distinction of Law and Gospel.” I have not withheld anything from you regarding the grace of God or the will of God. Not only that, I have not been ashamed of this place; I don’t hesitate to talk about our ministry and to invite others to come worship with us. I truly miss those who have not been here since the Pandemic struck, here and throughout the world.
I ask myself, “What are we missing?” We aren’t ashamed of the Gospel, we are not hostile to those who live around us, and we welcome every visitor that comes through those doors. Why do people only come here to bury their dead? I want to give people Jesus flowers while they are yet living, not after their gone!
We’ve had events, but these haven’t led to more members. People come and enjoy the things that we offer, but God has not added them to the church. We open the doors every Sunday, but few new people walk through them. Would they come if I offered a Sunday morning Fish and Bread distribution? A Medical Clinic? If we had a bigger choir?
But then, I hear, like a still small voice, God’s Word in our text:
26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
Think of it as ministry. Food either gets eaten or spoiled. Clothes either get worn or worn out. Choirs get old. The one thing that we have is Christ’s promise, and He is faithful:
11 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” 12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”
What do you all see? Do you see the household of faith, strong in the Lord, a congregation that, just like that congregation in Jerusalem, started small, and then the Lord added, day by day, those who were being saved? Are we, right now, an almond branch? Not a whole tree, full and flourishing, but a branch? A branch is a promise - it’s a pledge. Jeremiah saw a “sakhed,” God said, “You’re right, Jeremiah, because I am “sakhad .” You see it right? “Sakhed - Sakhad.” “Branch - fruition” “Promise - fulfillment.”
I want the food that endures, not just that which satisfies my temporary hunger, my cravings for success or personal fulfillment! I don’t want works that men will praise but will perish with me; I want the food that the Son of Man gives.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
I don’t want power and prestige, I want the peace of God, the presence of the Lord in this place. I want people to come here, weary and heavy laden, and for the Lord to give them peace. I want people to come hungering and thirsting, not just for a snack from the kitchen, but something more - a passion for our community, a passion for the Kingdom of God, not a passion for bodies, but a passion for souls!
This is a beautiful building, is it not? Lovely windows. Beautiful colors, wonderful design. But if this beautiful building stood in the way of people knowing Jesus, I would not love this building even a little bit. If the history of this place were a stumbling block instead of an encouragement to others, I would bury it.
If the only thing we can point people to is “yesterday,” don’t be surprised if we run out of “tomorrow.”
30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
So easy to say, “Lord, give us this bread always.” But they weren’t prepared to actually receive Him. We can say that we want Jesus, but Let the Lord actually make Himself available, sacramentally, liturgically, communally; not just individually, but corporately, as we begin to really live as members of one another, truly concerned with one another, truly caring for - not just about - one another. Would God not send us into the lives of those who need Him if we are becoming fruitful unto every good work and increasing in the knowledge of Him?
There is a way that seems right to a man. It is the way of marketing, of building coalitions, of social engagement, of building your brand. But those are fleshly. Those are temporal. They will pass. they will die.
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
There’s something about the name of Jesus. It soothes my doubts and calms my fears, and I love Him. Can everybody say “Jesus?”
He says, “Don’t worry about the times and the seasons which are in the Father’s control, just be My witness. Don’t worry about the numbers, just love the one’s I give into your life. Don’t try to get more, just give me what you’ve got.
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
People don’t become a part of a community for the buildings, they do it for the love that connects them like joints and sinews in a body. People don’t join the Body of Christ like its a club, they become a part of the Body because the Lord adds to the Church those who are being saved. Jesus didn’t die for just the sins of a few; He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
And the peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.