Hunger and Thirst – John 6:25-35

When they found him back across the sea, they said, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered, “You’ve come looking for me not because you saw God in my actions but because I fed you, filled your stomachs—and for free. 

It appeared the numbers of Jesus’ congregation were up this week but contrary to popular seeker-friendly strategy, Jesus challenges their motives for even attending. I suspect Judas was in the wings thinking, “Man, this guy is going to kill our cash flow.” But Jesus just pours it on…

Don’t waste your energy striving for perishable food like that. Work for the food that sticks with you, food that nourishes your lasting life, food the Son of Man provides. He and what he does are guaranteed by God the Father to last.

But, their hearts are set, so they said, “Well, what do we do then to get in on God’s works?” I wonder if Jesus was thinking, “There’s no way this crowd will ever understand me but, for those who will one day get the printed version, I’ll say …

Throw your lot in with the One that God has sent. That kind of a commitment gets you in on God’s works.

But again, the multitude wants what it wants, when it wants it, and makes its counter proposal…

Why don’t you give us a clue about who you are, just a hint of what’s going on? When we see what’s up, we’ll commit ourselves. Show us what you can do. Moses fed our ancestors with bread in the desert. It says so in the Scriptures: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’

God, in his patient and persistent love, pursues this multitude (and us as well) with these words, which he desires should produce eternal fruit in us rather than temporal benefits. He explains…

The real significance of that Scripture is not that Moses gave you bread from heaven but that my Father is right now offering you bread from heaven, the real bread. The Bread of God came down out of heaven and is giving life to the world.

This is what they came to hear!

                          They jumped at that, “Master, give us this bread, now and forever!”

Jesus then summarizes his sermon…

I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever.

It appears The First Church of Jesus in the Wilderness is poised for growth but Judas knows better. He has heard Jesus’ sermons. He knows the multitude’s stomach for the Bread of Life will be soured when Jesus tells them they are going to have to take up their cross daily if they really want to chew it.

Perhaps, because Judas had less delusions regarding Jesus’ intentions, he knew that while miracles are impressive, you can’t rule men with them. Ruling requires power. Power requires money. So even though Jesus was not going to produce a kingdom to Judas’ liking, he could still exchange Jesus for some real cash when the time was right.

The question remains,”What do you really hunger and thirst for?” Do you want revival – complete with God’s presence, signs and wonders? Do you want to feed, clothe and shelter the poor? Do you want to go abroad where people are really more open to Jesus? Would you like to simply find a good church with good music and strong teaching where your family could attend? These are certainly worthy but what if they were preceded by this answer, “Actually Lord, I have no wants, Christ in me is sufficient for every need.”

Jesus’ words have always done as much stirring as they have settling. But, in the heart-turmoil his words create, there is always a loving Father’s intention. He knows, bound up in our hearts, there is folly that needs exposed so that it doesn’t end up leading to our wasting energy and striving for the temporal. He is always persistently sending out his invitations for us to partake of his Son – the Bread of Eternal Life. By abiding in Jesus we are vested into a counterintuitive kingdom – a domain where he reigns, saying and doing things that will last forever, from his earthly base of operations – our hearts.

Thank you Father for your persistence in challenging our heart-level understandings of your words. We pray that you alone, at the center of our motives, will build your Church in your timing and in your ways. May you become the loving and persistent disturbance in our hearts so that you might ultimately become, in yourself, our exclusive satisfaction. Amen.

 

 

 
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