November 4, 2010
Central Truth
We all need food for both our body and our soul.
But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." (John 4:32)
31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
43 After the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.
I love food. Jesus often gives us imagery from everyday life to help us understand His message. And because we all have to eat, this slice of wisdom gives us a lot to chew on.
The disciples have just returned from town with food. They want their teacher to eat. After all, they are traveling on foot and need fuel to keep going. When Jesus tells them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about" (John 4:32), they assume He is holding out on some goodies, or maybe even someone else brought food to Him while they were gone.
However, Jesus is not talking about that kind of food. He is talking about "soul food"! He says, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work." (John 4:34) He wants to be sure we know that while our physical bodies need food to survive, our souls need food as well. But the only food that can satisfy our souls is God.
To do His will requires first that we know what His will is. In order to know His will, we need to know Him. How can we know Him? He has not left us in the dark, but has revealed Himself to us in His Son and in His Word. So read His Word, and get to know the "bread of life" (John 6:48).
Imagine the transformation of our lives, if "soul food" were as important to us as our three squares a day!
1. How would your life change if your first priority was food for your soul?
2. What changes do you need to make for that to happen?
FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What happened because the Samaritan woman told the people about Jesus (verse 39)?
2. Who told you about Jesus?
3. What happened when the people in the village spent time listening to Jesus for themselves (verse 42)?
4. Do you believe just because others have told you, or have you spent time listening to Jesus yourself?