THE LACK OF HUNGER

Luke 10:25–37 KJV 1900

And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Stop Hunger / The Lack of Hunger

Its Significance

There are two things which should be emphasized as we enter upon a study of Christ the Bread of Life — the Bread that came down from Heaven.

1. The absence of hunger is a sign of death.

The wicked are dead in trespasses and sins (see Eph. 2:1, 2).

Ephesians 2:1–2 KJV 1900

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

In the story of the good Samaritan the assaulted Jew was left "half dead."

The unsaved may also be spoken of as half dead — spiritually dead, physically alive.

One of the certain marks of death is an utter lack of hunger.

(Crucified or dead to the world)

(The developed Christian life)

The wicked have eyes which see not; they are blind.

The wicked have ears which hear not; they are deaf.

The wicked are past feeling.

The wicked have no taste for the Heavenly Manna.

John 6:53 KJV 1900

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

John 6:58 KJV 1900

This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

Paul said, "The natural man receiveth not the things of God, neither can he know them."

It would be folly to ram food down the throat of a dead man.

We need not marvel that sinners take no interest in, and have no leanings toward the things which are distinctively spiritual; they are alienated from God, strangers to the covenant of promise, and without hope in the world.

2. The beginning of hunger is the sign of the Spirit's quickening.

When we asserted that the dead have no hunger, that the wicked never seek for God, that God is not in all their thoughts; some may have doubted the statement.

They at once thought of that wonderful Scripture:

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters," or, they thought of that other Scripture,

"If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink."

These passages, however, primarily refer to saints and not sinners.

The question before us is this — If life is imparted through the eating of Christ the Living Bread, how then can a dead man, who has neither hunger nor power to eat, partake of the Living Bread?

Our reply is simple indeed. Were it not for the fact that the life-giving Spirit quickens the heart of the unregenerate, he would never come to God.

"No man cometh unto Me except the Father draw him." It is God Who visits the earth and waters it; it is God Who provides the grain when He has so prepared the earth (see Ps. 65:9, R. V.).

Psalm 65:9 KJV 1900

Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: Thou greatly enrichest it With the river of God, which is full of water: Thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.

Thus, also, does God first visit the sinner and prepare his heart for the reception of the Bread of Life, which God also provides.

God makes the ground soft with showers; He greatly enriches it, that He may bless the springing thereof, and crown the year with goodness.

When there is a yearning after God within a sinner's breast; when he panteth after God as the hart panteth after the water brook, then he should praise God, for the Holy Spirit is fulfilling His office work.

Hunger is caused by the Spirit.

Hosea 2:21–22 KJV 1900

And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, And they shall hear the earth; And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; And they shall hear Jezreel.

The words above set forth the fact of how Jezreel, which means sown of God, receives her food.

"Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled."