Soul Food: Understanding Proper Spiritual Nourishment
Journey Through the Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 70 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
How many of you enjoy trying food from different cuisines? I know I do. I appreciate all kinds of foods, from good old American foods to foods from other places such as Nepal and even Thailand. My wife and I even enjoy watching chef shows and seeing how food is prepared. I guess you could say that we are “foodies.” For those of you who do not know the term “foodie,” it is a person who has a deep appreciation for the culinary arts and continuous curiosity about the world of food.
One of the many different cuisines people enjoy is “Soul Food.” For those who know, soul food is deeply tied to the South. It is my favorite kind of food. Soul food consists of foods like fried chicken, collard greens, mac and cheese, sweet potato pie, cornbread, and, in the Deep South, gumbo. Is anyone hungry yet?
As we continue our journey through the Gospel of John this morning, the Holy Spirit turns our attention to what I have termed as “Soul Food,” but with a twist, it is “Spiritual Soul Food.” If you remember, Christ has just finished His conversation with the woman at the well. As He does, His disciples return. You may recall that they were absent during the encounter with the Samaritan woman. They had left before she arrived. They went into the village looking for food. It is at their return that we pick up our text this morning.
27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his own word;
42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
As you can see, the disciples' entire conversation started with food. It is interesting that they did not ask about the woman or Christ’s conversation with her. No, they were only interested in filling their bellies. Thus, their thoughts were on fried chicken and collard greens.
Thankfully, they were also concerned with Christ’s physical welfare. Consequently, they encouraged Christ to eat, knowing that He was most likely as hungry as they were. It is Christ’s answer that leads us to our message today.
32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
Of course, as recorded, His response surprised the disciples. Immediately, they began to speculate about who may have given Christ food, and perhaps, they were thinking about what kind of food He ate. To which Christ says...
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Here is what I believe God wants us to know and understand today from Christ’s response to his disciples.
He wants us to properly understand spiritual nourishment, aka “Spiritual Soul Food.” He also desires that we know its importance and how it relates to witnessing. Then, God seeks to awaken us to the great opportunity presented to us daily to feast upon the same nourishment Christ did.
So, let’s get right into it with this first thought.
The Ingredients of Scriptural Soul Food
The Ingredients of Scriptural Soul Food
Look again at what Christ said.
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
The word “meat” means food. Throughout all of Scripture, the Holy Spirit uses food (bread, milk, meat) as an analogy for spiritual growth. We all know that good food produces healthy living. We often talk about good nutrition. What does that mean? Good nutrition is when a well-balanced diet provides the necessary nutrients to maintain overall health and well-being. If you eat the right things and exercise properly, you will most likely feel good, have energy, and have a better quality of life. However, if you eat nothing but junk food or eat very little, you begin to feel bad, even sickly, have no energy, and your quality of life suffers.
Scripture uses this simple analogy to help us understand our spiritual development. Christ said that he had “food” that, at the time, the disciples did not know of. By God’s grace, we have the complete Word of God today and understand that Christ was talking about spiritual food in contrast to physical food. In the same way as physical food, the right kind of spiritual food will help you grow spiritually. In other words, certain ingredients are necessary for spiritual nourishment. If you have the right ingredients, you will grow spiritually. By that same token, if you have the wrong ingredients, you will not grow spiritually and, most likely, lose spiritual energy and not have the spiritual quality of life that God desires that you have.
ILLUSTRATION: What will happen if you eat McDonald’s food every day for a solid month? Does anyone remember the guy who experimented with that? His name was Morgan Spurlock, and he made the documentary “Super Size Me” in 2004. After eating McDonald’s food for 30 days, he gained 24 pounds, his cholesterol levels shot through the roof, he felt lethargic and moody, and he had very little energy. His consumption of fast food resulted in bad health. Why? He was not eating the proper things that would ensure a healthy lifestyle.
Is it not the same for us spiritually?
What we eat spiritually determines spiritual health or spiritual malnutrition. The question then becomes what spiritual food is necessary for spiritual health. The answer is found in Christ’s words.
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Proper spiritual nourishment comes from doing God’s will! True spiritual soul food is all about obedience to God.
Now, I could park here for a while. There is much Scripture about doing God’s will. And, by the way, finding God’s will is not a mystery. God has clearly outlined His will for us in His Word. It is not a matter of finding God’s will. Instead, it is a matter of listening and doing God’s will. I find that those continually seeking God’s will are people who want an excuse for not doing God’s will. In their minds, they have created this fantasy world where God is playing hide and seek with His will. God does not play games. His will for us is revealed in His Word, and Christ came to this earth, providing us with an example of how to live His Will each day.
Christ said He came to do the “will of him that sent me and to finish his work.” It is no different for each believer. God’s will is for you to read, study, and internalize His commandments and then do them. It is that simple.
Here is a sample list of God’s will, and it is not exhaustive by any means.
It is God’s will that people repent of their sin and accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as their savior.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
It is God’s will that each believer hear Christ’s words and do them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
It is God’s will for each believer to be a witness for Christ to others.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
I will stop with that one because it is the focus of today’s message. However, there are many more. I believe that you get the point.
Proper spiritual nourishment comes when we apply ourselves to doing God’s will. It focuses on what God desires, not on what we want. We must put our wants and desires aside.
Think about it this way, and then I will move to the next point of the message.
We are sinful people with selfish, fleshly desires. We constantly struggle against those desires as believers. We give into those selfish desires when we allow our flesh to rule and reign. We eat what we want to eat. Now, I can tell you that I love to eat donuts, ice cream, and those Little Debbie cakes. Man, those things are good and taste delicious, but they are not nutritious in any shape or form. In the same manner, sin tastes the same to us. We want it, desire it, and know it is wrong for our spiritual health. Thus, Scripture always encourages us to “put off” the sinful deeds of the old man. We are to “put on” or, might I say, “put in” the right nutrition. All of this comes back to the idea that we must feed on the Word of God by reading, studying, and internalizing it in our hearts. Then, we must be about doing it just as Christ exemplified.
Here is my next point!
The Preparation of Scriptural Soul Food
The Preparation of Scriptural Soul Food
35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Food often needs prep work. Take, for example, fried chicken. You have to either purchase chicken already cut into parts or cut a chicken yourself into various parts such as legs, wings, etc. Then, you must prepare the batter by mixing flour, salt, pepper, and egg. You then place the chicken parts in the batter and ensure each piece is properly covered. You have a large skillet or Dutch oven heating cooking oil as you do so. You then place those chicken pieces in the heated oil, allowing it to fry that chicken until it is juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Just like prep work is needed for some physical food so there is prep work required for some spiritual food as well.
Throughout the last three chapters, Christ exemplified the prep work needed for spiritual nourishment. He spent time talking to a Jewish religious leader. He had just finished sharing some good news with this Samaritan woman. Most of Christ’s ministry was spreading the message that He came to “seek and to save that which is lost.” The sole reason for Him coming was so He might die and sacrifice Himself for the world's sins. It was His mission and God’s will for His earthly life. He fulfilled that mission. He finished His work. He went to Calvary. He gave His life, and He resurrected Himself on the third day. Thus, everything is about His death, burial, and resurrection.
Guess what? Our lives as believers are all about His death, burial, and resurrection. Just as God sent His Son to be a witness of Himself, Christ has commissioned us to do the same.
Just before He ascended into Heaven, His last words to us were...
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
In our text, Christ pointed out the following...
35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Everything is prepped and ready. The fields are all around us. There are more than 80,000 people in our county.
Without a doubt, there is a mission field right here full of people who need to hear the good news of Christ. They need to know, just as Nicodemus, that eternal life is found in Christ. They need to know, just as the woman at the well, that a “well of water springing up into everlasting life” is found in Christ. Everything is ready. Christ came. He paid the ultimate price for everyone’s sin. It is finished. The only thing required is to do our job and be about our Father’s will. It is His will that we go and bear witness to all we meet. As we do, our spiritual nourishment will come through our efforts. We will enjoy the same “meat” Christ enjoyed as He shared His love for those He encountered.
This thought leads me to my next point.
The Flavor of Scriptural Soul Food
The Flavor of Scriptural Soul Food
36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
I can tell you right now that nothing is better than eating fried chicken, collard greens, mac and cheese, and homemade apple pie. It is satisfying.
I can also tell you that there is something even more satisfying than eating soul food. Serving the Lord and doing His will brings satisfaction, a flavor beyond description.
Christ alludes to the aspects of witnessing that are required for a harvest. There is sowing and reaping. Christ said, “he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal.” That is the satisfying flavor of doing God’s will. Whenever we get involved in the Lord’s work of seeing souls saved, baptized, and discipled, satisfaction enters the soul beyond any comparison to what this world offers. The great thing is that any believer can be involved.
Christ exemplified this when He said...
32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
Even the angels understand the joy and satisfaction that comes from seeing the harvest brought in.
10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
From my experience, I know there is nothing more enjoyable than to see someone come to Christ. The truth is that when we are involved in sharing the good news of Christ with others we are investing in “fruit” with eternal value. Christ put it this way - “gathereth fruit unto life eternal.”
What is expected?
Sowing the seed is expected. We must sow the seed of God’s Word far and wide. Yes, some will fall on stony ground, some will be choked out by the weeds of this world, and some will be swept away by the wind. Yet, the promise from God remains that some will fall on good ground, spring forth, and yield the wonderful, spiritual fruit of the Spirit. At that moment when sowing turns to reap, we enjoy the wonderful flavor of salvation.
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
This morning, I would encourage you to get involved. Taste of the food that most men know not of. Become a sower of the seed, and let us work together in the harvest set before us.
In a few short weeks, we have Vacation Bible School. There is no better time to get involved. It will be a wonderful week of sowing and reaping with God’s help. VBS is a wonderful opportunity for our church to work in the harvest field of Bedford County. I guarantee that by the end of that week, you will be satisfied and will have tasted the wonderful flavor of service unto God. However, if you sit at home and do not get involved, you will have lost a valuable avenue for doing the will of the Father.
Let me say this, and I will finish.
Our simple responsibility is to get involved. We are to sow and water. God gives the increase.
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
If all of us will simply do God’s will in sowing and reaping, He will give the increase.
How do I know?
Go back to our text and the example of the Samaritan woman.
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his own word;
Did you see it?
Christ did the will of the Father. His meat was not physical food. It was spiritual soul food. The seed was sowed as He did the Father’s will and shared Himself with this woman at the well. It fell on good ground, sprouted, and yielded abundant fruit. She went back to her village. She proclaimed all that she heard and experienced. In turn, the entire town came out to hear Christ and became so enamored with Him that they would not let Him leave for two whole days. In the end, many more believed.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Therein lies the essence of this entire message. When we determine to do God’s will, it is spiritual nourishment to our soul. Not only are we living in obedience to God and His Word, but we are receiving the spiritual nutrients for our personal spiritual growth. At the same time, we accomplish the mission that Christ imparted to us. It drives us to get involved in sowing and reaping the harvest of witnessing and sharing the good news of Christ. There is no more rewarding work than serving the Lord and seeing Him work in the lives of others. Each person born again causes you to experience the moment you also came to know Him. It creates a flavor in your soul that is way more satisfying than any soul food can ever be to this fleshly body. Believer, let me encourage you to get involved in doing God’s will. God’s will is not a mystery. There is no game of hide and seek with God. He plainly says, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” That is His will. He wants us to live in complete obedience to Him. Complete obedience includes sowing seed, watering it, and seeing God bring the increase.
Someone might say, “Pastor, I hear what you are saying. I believe it, but this world is so wicked and hostile to Christ that it will have no effect.” I would say have faith. Believe God. He is the One Who said that He would give the increase. It is not our duty to analyze the circumstances of today. We must obey.
As a believer, will you fully commit to doing God’s will and allowing it to be the spiritual nourishment that feeds your soul this morning? Will you come to this old-fashioned altar, fall on your knees, and surrender to His will?
Earlier, I said that God’s will is for all to accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as their savior. It is most likely that someone here this morning has never done that. Scripture is quite clear that you are under God’s condemnation. You will remain under His condemnation until you believe and accept all that Christ has done for you. He is everlasting life. He is the spring of eternal life. He can and will change your entire life if you place your faith in Him.
If that is you this morning, may I encourage you to admit your sin, repent, turn to Christ, and accept His offer of salvation? It is a gift.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God’s gift of eternal life is an offer to you this morning. Eternal life is in Jesus Christ. Will you accept His gift this morning by accepting Him?
