Seeking Spiritual Food that Endures
“And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?” Jesus answered, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, you have been searching for Me, not because you saw the signs (attesting miracles), but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures [and leads] to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you; for God the Father has authorized Him and put His seal on Him.” Then they asked Him, “What are we to do, so that we may habitually be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered, “This is the work of God: that you believe [adhere to, trust in, rely on, and have faith] in the One whom He has sent.”’ (John 6:25-29, AMP)
Almost a couple years ago, Sam and I went to Arizona for him to interview for an opportunity to work with a church planting organization. We went into the long weekend with high hopes and were praying that God would provide– Sam was looking for a job at the time.
Long story short, they didn’t offer Sam the opportunity, but they wanted us to see their “innovative” way of doing church so that we could experience God in the way their quickly growing congregation was. We went in, sat down, and worshiped through a carefully curated worship, a neatly-packaged sermon with four, easy bulletpoints, in an auditorium of people that were in and out within an hour and twenty minutes.
At the end, we got in the car and I laughed. The service was far from innovative. Instead, it matched the same “equation” that the modern day church seems to believe conjures up an encounter with Jesus. The room was dimmed just enough, the music was akin to a Coldplay concert, and the pastor was dressed relatably. Everything was specifically engineered towards heightening the emotions in the hopes that people would believe in Christ and come to Him.
As if anything but the Holy Spirit Himself could do that.
And yet, there was one thing this church was dead-right about: people were coming in droves hoping to feel God. This was a multi-million dollar church and they did not struggle for people coming through the doors.
Sort of the way that people showed up in Capernaum the day after Jesus fed the five thousand– the morning after Jesus walked out to the disciples on the Sea of Galilee. An eventful 24 hours, to be certain. But when the crowds who witnessed the miracle with the loaves and the fish realized that Jesus had left the area, they set out to find Him again. They weren’t searching Him out for His wisdom, though. They wanted Him to be their King. They wanted Him to free them from Roman rule and to witness more miracles. They were after Him because of what they thought they could get from Him. And Jesus calls this out in them, saying He knew they were not looking for Him because they realize what those signs and wonders pointed to, but because they wanted the material provision those loaves and fish served.
He encourages them to not fixate on food that perishes; on carnal things that fade and disappear. He urges this crowd of people to seek spiritual food that endures and leads to eternal life.
So let’s take stock today: Do we search out emotional highs that we think are God's move? Do we “follow” Him to places that are really curated experiences meant to entice you by material or physical means? Is our idea of communion with God something that equates to a spectacle or a feeling? Do all the variables have to be just right and the music so specific?
Or is the wisdom of His Word the reason we draw near? Is it the reminder to our spirits that our sin is so vastly deep and Jesus is so infinitely mighty and kind? Is it the sweetness of God’s message that entices us to follow Him?
Because if our belief is built on the works– the spectacle, the miracles, and the temporal needs being met– and not on the Work of Christ on the cross, crucified, and His redeeming resurrection, then our belief is as short-lived as a fish sitting outside on a 90 degree day.
The truth is this, friends: if your idea of church is how well your taste in music is met or how many cool, young twenty-somethings attend; if your criteria for committing to a church is whether or not you can hold a ministry or position of power so that you can feel ultra-spiritual or useful, then you are approaching your Savior looking for bread and fish.
But if drawing near to Christ is about Him; if you are hungry to know His Word and willing to search it. If you want to be in community with fellow believers who pray, who call out sin in each other, and who know how to defend their faith and share it in love. If you want the solidness of the Bible preached and the peace of knowing Him, then you are searching Him out looking for living water and the Bread of Life.
Look for Jesus, friends. Because behind perfectly curated services designed to heighten your emotions and elevate people who have barely cracked their Bibles is a church that doesn’t really feed your spirit. Don’t count the works of the building and the toiling of your hands as more weighty than the completed work in Christ. That work is tempered by His blood and full of mercy. It is something we can lean into and rely on. He is a God and a Savior that gives good, eternal gifts with His righteous and sovereign hands.
Seek that hand, not what’s in it or what can be done by it. Seek His eternal sustenance, and let that fuel your belief. Don’t get distracted by comforting messages and aesthetically pleasing “innovations” of spirituality. Miracles are momentary, but the Lord is steadfast.