Sermon Tone Analysis

Jesus & Food

Have you ever been some wrapped up in something that you forgot to eat?

Or perhaps you remembered you didn’t eat but it didn’t matter you were so set on what you were doing?

Sports, a game, a book, talking to your friend/boyfriend/girlfriend, a puzzle, etc.

Do you think all of a sudden your body just doesn’t need food anymore and your good?

You’re so focused on that, your adrenaline is running so high you don’t need to stop and eat.

The Spirit uses us sometimes and gives us energy and substances when it seems we are weak and unable.

Does anyone know who William Wilberforce was?

He was a member of the British Parliament and he fought for the abolishment of slavery.

Wilberforce was described as a small and strange looking guy.

He was mentored and friends with John Newton, the former slave ship captain and investor in slave trade; who is famous for what?

Writing Amazing Grace.

Anyways, Wilberforce was small and strange, and when he would get up to speak in the House of Commons, people laughed at him or just stared because he was weird.

Well went Wilberforce started talking about slavery, it was said that he was filled with fire from God.

People listened, they go on the edge of their seats and were captivated, all of a sudden he was emboldened and spoke powerfully through the spirit on this important topic.

He began to win people over and led the movement to abolish slavery.

Has anyone heard of John Knox?

The great Scottish reformer and preacher.

His life was as close to the life of Paul that I can think of.

his entire life, he preached the gospel, people came to Christ and he was run out of town.

Multiple times he fled to Switzerland and France and Germany.

He fled Kings & Queens who sought to kill him, civil war, religious crusades, etc.

But John Knox was a very weak and feeble man, constantly struggling with back pain and poor eyesight.

At the end of his life, John Knox was bed-ridden, unable to do anything.

And yet he got up on Sunday, struggled to the pulpit, had to use the pulpit to balance himself, and passionately and fervently delivered the gospel.

With weak voice and failing eyes and no bodily strength, the Lord empowered him to boldly proclaim the gospel.

He went home, got into bed and never got out, he died a couple days later.

My point is this, there are times we do things that seem to be outside of our ability or strength.

In our passage today we are going to come across Jesus in a similar situation.

Turn to John 4.

Starting in verse 31, it starts…Meanwhile.

Well obviously this is pointing to whats been going on, what is the context to where we are at?

What did Paul teach about last time?

The women at the well.

And what was that interaction about?

Seeking water.

So with that in mind someone read verses 31-34

So with the context of the interaction with the women at the well in mind, the disciples are begging Jesus to eat. and how does Jesus respond?

I have food you don’t know about.

We are beginning to see a theme in the book of John.

I need some readers.

What do we begin to see in Jesus interactions?

Verse 32 is now the fourth time that Jesus says something that doesn’t really mean what you think it means.

in chapter 2, he wasn’t going to really rebuild the literal temple in 3 days.

In chapter 3 he is not saying you are going to come out of your mother a second time.

In chapter 4 v.11 he is not saying the water in that well will provided life.

No, those are all reflections on the truths of the gospel.

Jesus was the temple and his body was going to be destroyed but it will be rebuilt in three days.

You cannot come to saving faith without being born again, with true conversion.

You only will find satisfaction in the living water, drink of this well and never be thirsty.

Now, I have food that will satisfy far beyond what you can give me.

The Lord’s intent was that he was so consumed with this conversation with this women and the hope of the gospel he didn’t care about food.

The priorities of Jesus life—serving God by doing his will and his work was what gave him sustenance in life.

1) is Jesus found sustenance in what he was doing.

Jesus job on earth was to do the will of the Father—not unlike our role by the way.

So we have the will of the Father, and to obey it and follow it will give us strength.

Again remember the context.

How did Jesus approach the well in the beginning of chapter 4? He was tired, weary from the long journey.

You can picture him stumbling up to the well, seeking water from whoever could provide it, even a samaritan.

And yet as the conversation got going, you can see it, Jesus springs to life, getting more and more excited as the doors begin to open to clear gospel presentations.

He got this supernatural strength from doing what he was sent here to do.

Jesus is certainly not suggesting in v. 34 that we don’t need food or drink.

We are not angels, we have to eat and sleep.

However Jesus is suggesting that we should have such a passion for God’s work that we can put our needs on the backburner for a time to share the hope of the gospel.

How many times do we let our schedules control us?

I’ll be transparent, there have been times when my wife and I are talking through an issue or having discussion about something important, and I will end it and say well I have to go back to work.

Or to a friend, I would love to continue this conversation but it’s time for bed.

Or perhaps I would love to get together with you but I have to get home and make dinner.

All those things are good, they are not bad things, but we let our schedule control us.

We are willing to close gospel doors in order to be somewhere on time or to not miss a meal.

How many of us on Sunday mornings, its a pet peeve of mine but we have all done, hey, great to see you, hope your doing well, I have to get to lunch, bye!

Jesus was consumed with His fathers will.

“He says nothing about his own will.

People think that if they could have their own way, they would be perfectly happy, and their dream of happiness consists in this—that their wishes will be gratified, their own longings fulfilled, and their desires granted to them.

This is all a mistake.

A person will never be happy in this way.

Perfect happiness is to be found in exactly the opposite direction, namely, in the casting down of our own will entirely and asking that the will of God may be fulfilled in us…When we have conquered ourselves, we have conquered all.

When we have won the victory over our own desires and dislikes and have subdued ourselves through sovereign grace to the will of God, then we will be perfectly happy.”

Charles Spurgeon.

Do we have a desire to put aside personal comforts for gospel conversations.

2) Jesus had urgency for the time is now.

Do we have urgency in our witnessing.

John 4:35–38 (ESV)

One of the reasons we give into our personal desires so often is we don’t have a sense of urgency.

Jesus is surrounded by crops when he is speaking here.

It was probably December or January, so the crops would be vibrant green, but not ready for harvest.

There was still four months until they needed to be picked.

Again Jesus is not literally talking about going and picking wheat.

But this was the disciples mindset.

Yes, jesus we need to do those things, but we have plenty of time, well get to it later.

I came a cross of story of a little harbor town that had a very treacherous area where boasts frequently capsized during big storms.

This town had a faithful group of men who when they hear the bell ring would get in the water and go out to save the sailors from the sinking ships.

They were very good, a tremendous rescue team.

They even got some publicity and money was given to build a rescue center.

They developed some areas where they could train and better prepare this team for rescues.

They had a well oiled machine and it led to the rescue of hundreds of people.

But over time the rescue center got nicer and nicer.

They put in couches and a state of the art ktichen and sleeping quarters and a gaming center, etc.

And as each bell sounded, fewer and fewer guys went to go help.

And soon there came a time when nobody came.