"I am the bread of life"

When I was younger, getting a McDonald's was a special treat. I used to love it. But nowadays, I'm not so fussed on it. Why? Because I like to be filled. I like big portions that don't leave me hungry an hour later. When you eat a Big Mac from McDonald's, sure, it tastes great. But it doesn't fill you! It doesn't satisfy the hunger. My question is, are we living a Big Mac life?

Jesus declared, 

“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

- John 6 v 35

1. Satisfying the hunger

I think everyone goes through life with a hunger. A hole. A void. Call it what you will. Perhaps, it can be best described as feeling as though we're missing something. So what do we do to this hunger? We try to satisfy it. Fill the hole. Close the void. We try drinking, smoking, drugs, relationships, success, money, fame. The list goes on. The only thing that can satisfy this hunger is the bread of life. Jesus Christ. Turn to Jesus and be fulfilled. Sustained. Satisfied.

2. Eating everyday

But let's not fool ourselves into thinking that we accept Jesus into our lives, and instantly our hunger is satisfied. Don't think that because we go to church once a week then we're no longer hungry.

How long does it take you before you get hungry? How long can you go without food before you start to notice? If you're anything like me then I bet it isn't very long. A few hours usually. But have you ever thought, how long can you go without reading your Bible? How long does it take you before you start to miss praying? Again if you're anything like me, then I bet it is a lot longer...

Our spiritual food isn't any different from our physical food. We should be eating every day. How do we expect be full and satisfied in our faith if we aren't eating on a regular basis? If you only eat once a week, then you're going to be physically hungry. In the same way, if we only spend meaningful time with Jesus, growing in our faith, once a week, then we're going to be spiritually malnourished too. If you've no appetite, then you're going to be hungry.

This scares people. It freaked people out when Jesus was preaching this message thousands of years ago, and likewise it freaks people out when they hear this today. Total commitment? Nah, I just want a little bit of Jesus in my life. Just a few crumbs. They eat rarely, and as a result are rarely satisfied. Everyone wants to be full, but nobody wants to eat. They're living the Big Mac life. What are you eating?

"I am He"

Have you ever been thirsty?
A hot summer's day, absolutely parched for a drink? The type of thirst that only an ice cold glass of Fanta lemon would solve?! Well you're not the only one...

There's a passage in John 4 where Jesus is also super thirsty. Give it a quick read so you know what's going on! Basically, Jesus wants a drink. He's walking in the desert, and comes across a well. At this well there is a Samaritan woman is sitting, drawing water herself. Jesus goes over to her and asks for a drink. And a conversation takes place ensues...

But what I truly love about this passage is that I believe that it really shows the Father heart of God. A Jew and a Samaritan. A man and a woman. The Sinless with the sinner. There were so many reasons that what Jesus did was culturally wrong, socially unacceptable and religiously forbidden. It doesn't seem to matter when God sees one of His children whom He loves. The question for us today, as Christians, as the Church, does it matter to us too? The people that don't fit in, the ones that are pushed to the margins of society, those people that nobody else loves. Do we love them? Are we more concerned with reputation and popularity? Perhaps we'd rather judge them because they live differently to us? Maybe we should be more focused on reaching out a loving hand across a chasm of division and hurt? Maybe we should follow the example of Christ Himself.

The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 

Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

The woman tries to tell Jesus that she'll wait until the Messiah comes so he can explain everything to her then. Little does she know she's already talking to the Messiah! She's talking to the very Saviour she's been waiting for without even knowing it! So Jesus tells her - I am He. What he's basically saying to her is, I'm here now so what are you waiting for?

And that's my exact same question to you. What are you waiting for? That's the challenge. Are you reading this as somebody who is thinking about making that commitment to following Jesus and perhaps you're just putting it off? What are you waiting for?! Are you reading this as a Christian already, but lately you haven't been reading your Bible or praying or going to Church. What are you waiting for?! To all of us reading, are we showing compassion, kindness and love to the groups of people and individuals that nobody else does. If we don't... then what are we waiting for?!

Are you thirsty? Then don't wait. Drink now.

8 comes before 22

What would you do with £57.8 million?

On Saturday night the National Lottery Jackpot was at a record £57.8 million. It got me thinking about being gifted such a life changing sum of money. Never working again, never needing to earn a living. So I had a look online, and was reading an article that listed on average the top 10 best paid jobs in USA in 2015. The top 3 were as follows:

Surgeon - $352,220

Psychiatrist - $181,880

Physician (GP) - $180,180

High powered jobs. Big salaries. But the money doesn't come for free, it is earned. And although in our lives we need to work hard and earn a living, there is one thing that we don't need to earn. And it's worth remembering. Check out Genesis 6 and the story of Noah to catch my drift...

Verse 8 - But Noah found favour in the eyes of the LORD.

Verse 22 - Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

Noah didn't earn God's favour. He didn't work hard to gain God's trust. He didn't impress God, so that He would love him. Verse 8 comes before 22. Noah had done nothing at all yet. But God still loved him, still accepted him and still called him for service.

People think the Bible is a big rulebook. A list of do's and don't's. A manual for how to live if you want to get into Heaven. And if you don't tick all the boxes then God doesn't love you and you're going to Hell. But they couldn't be further from the truth. Christianity isn't about what we can do for Jesus, it's about what Jesus has already done for us. If you follow Jesus, you don't need to earn His love.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 

and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus

- Romans 3 v 23 - 24

We live in a world where it's all about making the grade. You need to achieve the best exam results, act a certain way, dress like this, look like that. It's all about what you do - there's no results unless you earn it. But it's worth taking a breath, and remembering that you don't need to earn anything from God. There's no pressure, because He already loves you. Whether you fail your exams or not. Whether you're on the sports team or not. Whether you're the most popular kid in class or not. Whether you earn the highest salary or not. God loves you.

As followers of Jesus, we should live a certain way and do certain things not because our salvation or relationship with God depends on it. God already loves us, and we can't work our way into Heaven. We don't go to church or read the Bible so that God will love us. We follow Jesus and live this way, because God already loves us. And He sent His son Jesus to die for us. For you too. Our belief should dictate our behaviour, not the other way around.

Religion says - "I obey therefore I am accepted by God."

The Gospel says - "I am accepted by God therefore I obey."

All you need to do is confess with your mouth and believe with your heart. Jesus already earned your freedom on the cross. 

Remember that 8 comes before 22.