Food that Satisfies

 

I’m on the last day of a short mission trip. We were in Chicago for several days before  Memorial Day.  I joined with 65 international students from around the world. It was a great week to visit because of all the vacationers coming to this beautiful city. In the mornings, we had training sessions, encouragement, worship, and motivation. Every afternoon we went out around the city to parks, lakes, college campuses, and other locations where we could easily meet people and engage in spiritual conversations. I think everybody was a bit nervous as we went out, but that nervousness  didn’t last for long. In the parks and locations were people just sitting around with nothing to do. They were very agreeable to talk about philosophical questions, the nature of life, where do you find purpose, and other topics that easily lead into the gospel. 

 

What was surprising to me about this week was how deeply satisfying it was. When I was falling asleep at night, I would see the faces of many of the people we had talked with. Their expressions of curiosity or interest or resistance lingered in my memory. We would often share our testimony  If interested we would tell how God loved us and how Christ has given His life for us. It was so fulfilling to have an entire afternoon engaging with people and talking about Jesus. At the end of the day the fellowship we shared was incredible. We went out in small groups of two or three, and it was amazing how much there was to talk about at the end of the day. There was so much laughter and joy, kidding around poking fun at one another, basically loving on each other. The whole experience reminded me of the story of Jesus and the woman at the well in John four. 

 

In John chapter four, we find Jesus traveling with the disciples from Judea back to Galilee. As he passed through Samaria, he stopped near the town of Sychar at Jacob’s Well to rest from the long journey. Around noon the disciples went into town to try to get some food, but Jesus stayed behind to visit with a woman at the well. First they engaged in chitchat.  When they talked about spiritual things she resisted by bringing up their religious differences.  Jesus answered masterfully, and eventually proclaims to her that He is the Messiah. He confronts her checkered past, and yet shows her compassion. She runs into town to tell everybody that she has found the Messiah. What’s curious about the story is when the disciples return with their food and see him chatting with her they are surprised.  I think this was not a cultural norm in those days. Jesus then makes an interesting statement to his disciples. 

 

John 4:31–34 (NASB95):  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 were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?”

 34 Jesus *said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.

 

These final comments are what has caught my attention. As I’ve spent hours chatting and engaging in gospel conversations, I can relate to that feeling that Jesus is expressing. There is indeed a unique type of satisfaction from simply serving God, and specifically sharing the gospel.

 

No, this post is not designed to try to exhort you to share your faith, nor feel guilty about it. There’s something a lot more important at stake here. Anytime we obey God, it’s deeply satisfying. And there may not be anything as satisfying as proclaiming and sharing Christ. I think there are several reasons for that. When we share Christ…

 

1. There’s a deep sense of gratitude we feel. We remember the amazing things God has done for us. 

2. We are reminded of Christ’s death and His love and forgiveness. As we share with others, it sinks deeply into our own souls. 

3. Especially as we go two by two, there’s a deep bond that is formed because we are on missions together. It may be somewhat like what soldiers feel when they’re on the front lines. 

4. We are reminded of our purpose here on earth.  We are actively involved in fulfilling the great commission, as well as the great commandment.

 

If you get a chance to go on a mission trip, even a short term mission trip, I strongly encourage you to jump at the chance. Sure it’ll be a bit scary and seems a bit risky. Sometimes you’re not sure what type of food you will eat or what kind of place you will stay in.  You won’t be able to totally control your schedule during those times and you’ll probably miss some of the comfort you enjoy at home. But there’s so much more that you will experience- a sense of calling and purpose, and of engaging in things that matter for eternity. You will no doubt enjoy great fellowship with other like-minded people.

Of course we don’t have to go on a mission trip to share our faith.  God will give us divine appointments at various times and places in our normal walk of life. We just have to keep our antennas up and be alert to the opportunities he gives-and be willing to engage with people- friends, family, and even strangers, to share the love of Christ.

 

2 Timothy 4:1–2 (NASB95): I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:

 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season;