Is not life more than food?

In Matthew 6 Jesus asks the rhetorical question “Is not life more than food?” (Vs. 25) The answer is yes, life is so much more than food. You will hear of people on their death bed express regret “I wish I spent more time with my family”, you will not hear of people on their death beds saying “I wish I had eaten more cheesecake.” However, so much of our lives revolve around food, and we hold so much importance to it. It seems that every holiday, birthday, social gathering, church event and vacation revolves around food. We know in our hearts that life is more than food, but at times our actions speak differently.   

Food is a necessity to sustain life and it is also a blessing that can bring happiness. However, food, like many things that God gives us as a blessing, when overindulged in can become destructive. Biblically speaking, eating is viewed as sin when we are gluttonous. “Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat.”(Prov. 23.20) Food can also become an issue when the desire for food controls us. Speaking about eating and drinking, in 1 Corinthians 6 the Apostle Paul states that he will not be brought under the power of anything. There are times when we know that a certain type of food is bad for us or when we cannot exercise the self-control to not overeat that we allow food to overpower us. This is not in accordance with God’s will for us.

I do not think that diets are the answer. Counting points or cutting carbs does not address the spiritual problem.  Most diets are a brief attempt to drop 10 or 20 pounds. How much you weigh is not necessarily a spiritual problem. People who are thin and have high metabolisms can be just as gluttonous as people who are overweight. I believe the answer is found in the Lord’s question “Is not life more than food?” Many people, including myself, look to food too much as a source of joy and comfort. When stressful or difficult times occur do you run to God or to Ben and Jerry for comfort? Our problem is that we often use food to bring the joy and comfort we should get from our relationships with the Lord. The answer the Lord expects from us is, “Yes. Life is more than food. Life is about God and enjoying Him forever.” When I understand in my heart that food is a blessing from God but that I am not supposed to depend on it as my source of joy and comfort, I am less likely to overeat. When I know that God has given me the power of the Holy Spirit and I can have the self-control to not overeat, I can rely on His power to not be brought under food’s control.  

What Do You Do More Than Others?

Matthew 5:43-48

What do you do more than others? Jesus wants to know. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus instructs us to do something that goes way beyond the conventional wisdom of the world; He instructs us to love not just those who love us, but to love those who do not, those who we consider enemies. Take a second to think about the Lord’s command. Do you love your enemies? Keep in mind what Jesus is telling us to do is far more than just not hating them, but actually loving them. Biblical love is more than a feeling, it is an act. Jesus sets love in motion by telling us to bless our enemies, pray for them and do good for them (Matt 5:44).

Jesus commands point blank “I say to you, love your enemies,” (Matt 5:44). Why would Jesus require that we love our enemies? The answer is because that is what God does. Our Heavenly Father “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good” (Matt.5:45). In His goodness and love God extends His providence to not only those who trust Him, but to those who oppose Him. God loves His enemies. To make this truth hit home, we must recognize that even those who profess faith in Christ were at one time at odds with God and were His enemies. The truth is that while we were still His enemies Christ died for the ungodly. We were the “ungodly”. So in telling us to love our enemies, Jesus is just instructing us to act in the character and nature of our Heavenly Father. I have heard objections to loving our enemies that sound like “but these people do evil” or “look at what they have done to our country”. To love our enemies does not mean that we have to agree with them or approve of what they do because God doesn’t. It means that we are to love them.  

Brothers and sisters, this is what will set us apart. This is what we do more than others. This is what will winsomely get the attention of a lost and dying world. It is not easy to love one's enemies. In fact, I would argue that it is impossible to love our enemies apart from the grace of God, but that is what makes it such a testimony of God’s power. If you think that loving your enemies is unattainable, confess that to God and pray for His grace. If you think that having any feelings of love towards a particular person is impossible, put Jesus words in practice. Bless them, pray for them, and if you have a chance to, do good for them. It is difficult to pray for someone, to ask God to bless them and do good for them and not wind up with feeling love towards them. 

  

Labor of Love

Revelation 2:1-7

Jesus demands more than just that we labor but that our labor be a labor of love for Him. In Revelation 2 Jesus tells the church of Ephesus, a church that was commended by Him for their work, labor, patience, discernment and more, that if they did not repent they would cease to be His church.  Repent of what you may ask? Of their dead loveless works as Jesus told them in verse 4 “I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”  You see the church of Ephesus started strong, founded by the great Apostle Paul and even pastored at some point by the Apostle John.  However at some time in history their loving devotion turned into loveless tradition. Jesus in His grace and mercy is calling them back to what truly matters, a loving relationship with Him.

What is true of a church in Asia Minor 2000 years ago is true of many Christians today. We get saved, and at first we are just thrilled with the fact “I am my beloved’s, And my beloved is mine.” (Song 6:3) the wondrous thought that the God of the universe loves us and has given His Son to the cross to redeem us thrills our hearts and our labor flows naturally out of our joy! It seems there is something about time that robs us of our zeal. At some point there is a change and the things we used to do out of love we now do out of habit and we start going through the motions with Jesus.

Jesus will by no means tolerate a loveless bride. Can you think of a greater insult for a groom on his wedding day then to see a disinterested bride walking “ho hum” down the aisle? We insult Him when we just go through the motions. Not to mention we rob ourselves of joy.  Jesus’ exhortation to loveless Ephesus was to repent and “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; ”(Rev. 2:5.) Brothers and sisters take some time to go back and remember what it felt like when you first got saved, the joy of knowing Jesus the One and only. Let’s go back there and stay there.