Appetite

The book of John portrays a story in which Jesus took five small loaves of bread and two small fish, and he miraculously multiplied the food to feed an mass of five thousand people by a lake.

A while later, Jesus and His disciples found these same people following them to the other side of the lake. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.” Jesus realized at that moment, that these people weren’t following him because they truly wanted to follow as disciples, they were following Him because they wanted more food. They wanted to fill their appetites. They were following Him for all the wrong reasons.

Do we do this? Do we follow Jesus because of what we can get out of the deal? Do we follow Him because we think He can provide safety? Do we follow Him in hopes of getting our wants and desires met? Do we follow Him so he will fill our appetite (whatever that appetite may be)? Maybe some of us want Him to give us our fill.

We know our appetites will come and go. One moment our stomachs will be full, the next moment they’re empty. We strive to fill our stomachs, yet we can’t seem to fill them enough. This repetitive behavior continues as we constantly look for our fill. Whether its consumerism, food, entertainment, addiction, or anything else; these will never make us truly content.

Jesus goes on to say, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.” Jesus invites us to halt this ongoing repetitive behavior, this behavior that only addresses our present wants and desires, these appetites that are only momentarily fulfilling. Jesus offers us the way, the truth, and the life. He offers us something so much more.

We are given an offer: we can choose to resist the appetites that are only temporary, and we can pursue a way of life which God intended for us to live. Jesus invites us to follow and partner with Him in a life of truly loving others. He invites us to learn His way of life, and live His way of life. Jesus is waiting to show us a way of life that is truly life. Will we follow? Will we continue to follow?

Will you follow Him?

Random Honest Thoughts

Sometimes I wonder if I should be a youth pastor. I mean, you're right, the kids don't need another negative cultural influence. Kids need to know the power of Christ, and that He is everything. I've spend so much time praying about this because in brute honesty, kids need to be taught that the sacrifice of following Christ calls us to be "set apart (which is the definition of Holy)". Young people do need to be taught the things that are beneficial and the things that aren't beneficial. Sometimes I wonder if anything I do helps young people love God in a deep and intimate way. I'd rather get a huge group of kids together and go and love on people who need help, poor people, sick people, people that are ignored by society. Those are the sorts of thing Jesus would do with a youth group. I wonder what challenging things Jesus would tell me as a pastor.

In Jesus' time, the people with a high religious position were concerned with outward holiness. This was referred to as the politics of holiness. When Jesus challenged them, he did not tell them to appear even more holy, he challenged them because their holiness displaced them from the people the Father truly cared about. In studying through the gospels, Jesus taught not the politics of holiness, but He taught the politics of compassion. He told the religious people they were dead without even knowing it because they made certain that their appearance clean, spotless, and pure. Yet Jesus said they were dead and that they taught people to become twice the sons of hell that they were. Jesus was concerned not with outward holiness as he was with the transforming power of God on the inside of a person. This is a huge struggle for me. Its a struggle because I know kids need to learn the difference between good and evil...but then you have to think....thats the same temptation that got Adam and Even in trouble in the first place. Reading the message of Christ, he was more passionate about people being transformed and following Him. He wanted people to see the world as He saw it, to care for the people He cared about, and to love as He loved. Its evident that He didn't care as much about our outward appearances of holiness as He did about our hearts desire for God.

Its sometimes disappointing being a pastor. I have parents telling me that I should teach their kids to get better grades, what movies not to watch, what words not to say, how they should date, what music not to listen to, how to act, what things not to do, and over and over this pressure overwhelms me. Its overbearing because I know God did not place me as a pastor to teach these things. God has called me to be a pastor to lead people to Christ. As the Father calls people unto himself, they will be transformed. This internal redirection will be the Spirit leading them to a renewing of the mind. I don't want to be just another youth group that gives kids a list of dos and don'ts. I want to be a youth group that challenges kids to seek the face of God. I want to be a place where kids are inspired to enter love affair with their Creator.

Church is not a moral compass. Our goal is not to teach kids to live by the fruit of the Spirit. Sometimes that would be easier. Wouldn't it be nice to have a handbook to give to every kid telling them all the things to avoid? But our mission is not to place a yoke on the kids and take away all their fun. Our goal is to lead people to Christ in hope that they will be transformed by His power. As they are transformed and grow in their maturity, they will bear fruit (the fruit of the Spirit). Christ is everything to us. Without Him, we are but animals driven by our sinful nature. But with Him, He gives us the power to resist every form and appeal of the sinful nature through the power of His Spirit.

Sometimes I sit back and think I should listen to every parent. It seems to me, that parents expect me to do the parenting for them. Many in the church would like to see a bunch of good little Christian kids with their shirts tucked in and their hair groomed clean. But isn't this sort of idea the very thing Jesus challenged the Pharisees on? This is why I struggle. The pressure of cultural anti-Christian expectations within the church can sometimes be unbearable. The scriptures say that the world will not understand...and sometimes I think the world influences the church more than we ever realize.

My hope as a youth pastor is that young people will have an internal transformation at some point. I know I'm planting seeds, and some of the seeds I'll never be able to see grow. I think a study on this was done by Willow Creek at one time. When the study was released, it said that the average Christian has to hear the message of Christ some seventeen times before they actually come to know Christ personally. I hope as I work in our Church, that I will plant one or two seeds, and that the Father will use those seeds to grow disciples of Christ.

It can be very discouraging as a youth pastor to give and give and give and rarely see results. This discouragement can be a tool the enemy uses to wear us out. Yet I know that God is working in this area. I know He deeply loves His people, and that He is crying out for them. I know that if I let discouragement take me hostage, then the enemy wins.

I could vent to you about the burden of ministry over and over, but because this message has become quite long, I'll stop for now. Dana, I just want you to know my heart for these kids. I want you to know that we are all babies in Christ, but we grow together.

I appreciate your concerns more than you realize! Iron sharpens iron and that is what you do for me. Whether you realize it or not, the Lord has given me extreme joy in our friendship. I'm beyond excited to do life with you and i hope you know that!

Everything is for God's glory! He is the most beautiful, amazing, indescribable God. I want Him to be reflected in everything I do. May we all follow Jesus together! :)

American Christians are in an interesting position. Here, in what many like to think of as the epicenter of western culture, we are American Christians who "believe" in Jesus. This position is one of paradox.

I know Christians who are Republicans. I also know Christians who are Democrats. Usually, some sort of religion has something to do with a person's political stance.

I know Christians who are pro-choice. I also know Christians who are pro-life.

For the war. Against the war.

I know Christians who say that if we have enough faith, God will grant us the blessing of healthiness, success, and victory. Some of these same Christians say God will bring wealth to those who love Him. This is referred to as the "health and wealth gospel."

I also know Christians who say that God has already blessed us and because of this, we have a duty as followers of Christ, to bless others. Some call this a social justice gospel.

These are examples of how our individual truths are unique depending on who we are and what we believe. Western culture has an effect on our faith.

The position we as Christians are in, is one of asking ourselves the question: “Is the Jesus we believe in, accurate to the person He really was?”

I know people who have a rough time with this.

Do we fit Jesus into the mold of our culture?

Maybe instead of God making man in His own image, man has turned and made God in his own image.

Doesn't this seem consistent with our culture?

We can choose our own truths, as long as it doesn’t infringe on others. So we pick our gas stations, we pick our grocery stores, we pick what brand of clothes to buy, and we pick our Jesus.

We each like our own brand of Jesus.

But is the interpretation of Jesus we subscribe to accurate? Is Jesus being fit into our mold or are we fitting into Jesus’ mold?

American Christians are in an interesting position. What culture will influence them next?