JESUS LOVES GOOD FOOD!

by Rev Dr Gordon Wong, Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore.

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34, NIV)

Are you a “foodie”?

I’m not. I like a good meal, but I probably “eat to live” rather than “live to eat.” But if you are a happy “foodie”, perhaps you might make John 4:34 your mantra. Jesus is a foodie who always craves a certain type of very good food.

“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”

Jesus then changes his metaphor from eating food to sowing seeds (verses 35-38). But he tells his disciples that their mission is not to sow, but to reap the fruit that they did not do the work for (verse 38). Someone else has done the work of sowing. Now we are called to reap the harvest which is already ripe and ready (verse 35). Jesus has finished the work started by the Father (verse 34). Now we are commissioned to reap the wonderful fruit for which we did not do the work (verse 38).

Why does Jesus emphasise this point about someone having done the sowing whilst his disciples now only do the reaping (verse 37-38)?

Perhaps the answer has to do with verse 34: Jesus alone is the One who has finished the work of sowing and producing the fruits of salvation. Our mission is to reap and share with others this wonderful fruit of Jesus’s work.

Our mission is to reap and share with others this wonderful fruit of Jesus’s work.

If we return to Jesus’ earlier metaphor of food, perhaps we might say that Jesus has already finished the good food that the Father wanted him to have. Now Jesus sends us to share this same good food with others that we might together enjoy God’s good food prepared by Jesus.

Evangelism and Mission is simply sharing good news (and good food) which has already been cooked by Christ for everyone.

The next time we enjoy a good meal, let’s remember the wonderful food that Christ has already laid on His table, and let’s welcome everyone to enjoy the meal together.

Jesus sends us to reap that for which we have not worked (verse 38).

Thanks be to God.