2004-06-20 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

If we searched the entire Bible, we probably wouldn't find any conversation more weird than the one "prophet-for-hire" Balaam had with his donkey in Numbers chapter 22. Balaam was a man blessed to speak directly with God, but he was still just a man. Because of his greed, his desire for the things of this world, Balaam only heard the part of God's instructions that he wanted to hear. Fortunately for Balaam, his donkey was in tune with God's will that day, and was able to prevent the prophet from being struck down in his sin.

The conversation Balaam has with his donkey was very strange, but the one that we're in the middle of (in John 6:25-34) rates pretty high in that category, too.

Have you ever tried to explain something to people who simply did not understand you? They genuinely appear to be listening to your words, but they focus on only half of a sentence, or even just one word in one of your sentences, and because of this "selective hearing" they never do correctly understand anything else you said. For the sake of honesty, for Jesus' sake, we must all admit to having this same problem. The Bible calls it "itching ears," (2 Timothy 4:3-4) the desire to hear something pleasant.

Now try to imagine how difficult it was for Jesus to remain calm while trying to explain spiritual things to carnal beings like us.

On the day after He fed five thousand of them with only morsels of food, they find Him and ask what they can do to get some of the bread He spoke of, the bread that endures unto everlasting life, and He replies, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

John 6:30-34

30. They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
31. Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
32. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
33. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
34. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

"Lord, from now on, let every day be like yesterday was, but could you make it wheat bread this time?"

These people have seen miracles of healing and the miracle of being fed with no food source, and yet they require more signs to believe. The flesh is never satisfied. Even if Jesus had fed them fish sandwiches for the rest of their lives, at some point they would have begun to take Him for granted, and He would have to perform greater works to help their unbelief. If I'm sinning habitually, at some point I will take it for granted and rationalize that it's ok to keep doing it. Then I'll need something greater to satisfy my appetite for sin.

If my "meat," my food is to do the will of God, the satisfaction is continual, and there is joy even in times of trouble. If I continue to desire, to devour the will of God, I soon begin to realize that my flesh is a liar, and that makes it easier for me to stop listening to it, to tell my flesh, "sit down and shut up." If I continue in the will of God, I begin to focus on the whole of what He says, not just half a sentence, or one word out of a sentence. If I continue to dwell in His love, then this communion service will not end after the trays are gathered. It will not end when we leave the church today. It becomes a part of me, and it is the Bread of Life.